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NCT Number: NCT07616284

TIVA Mobile Health Intervention for Family Caregivers

This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and preliminary effects of the TIVA mobile health intervention in promoting positive mental health among family caregivers of older adults. TIVA is a culturally adapted mobile application based on Lluch's Positive Mental Health model and designed to support caregivers through daily activities, motivational messages, relaxation strategies, and psychoeducational content over a four-week intervention period.

A pilot randomized controlled study with parallel allocation will be conducted involving family caregivers recruited in community and primary healthcare settings in Portugal. Participants will be allocated either to the TIVA intervention group or to a usual care control group. Outcomes will include positive mental health, caregiver burden, usability, satisfaction, adherence, and acceptability. Data will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up.

This study intends to contribute to the development of accessible digital mental health strategies to support family caregivers and promote healthy ageing.

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Key information

Conditions

Positive Mental Health Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Caregiver Burden Family Caregivers Mental Health Promotion Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, usability, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the TIVA mobile health intervention designed to promote positive mental health among family caregivers of older adults.

The TIVA intervention is a culturally adapted mobile application based on Lluch's Positive Mental Health model and derived from the Spanish "Cuidadoras Crónicos" program. The intervention includes daily psychoeducational content, motivational messages, relaxation exercises, and activities focused on emotional well-being, autonomy, interpersonal relationships, problem-solving, and self-care over a four-week period.

Family caregivers will be recruited from community and primary healthcare settings in Portugal. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group (TIVA app plus usual care) or the control group (usual care only). Due to the nature of the intervention, participant blinding will not be feasible.

Data collection will occur at baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention period (T1), and at follow-up (T2). Outcomes will include positive mental health, caregiver burden, usability, satisfaction, adherence, and acceptability. Positive mental health will be assessed using the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire, and caregiver burden will be evaluated using the Zarit Burden Interview.

This study seeks to contribute to the development of accessible digital mental health strategies for family caregivers and to support healthy ageing policies and community-based care.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults aged 18 years or older.
  • Unpaid family caregivers of a person with chronic illness, disability, or dependency.
  • Providing regular caregiving assistance for at least 4 months.
  • Living in Portugal.
  • Ability to read and understand Portuguese.
  • Ownership and use of a smartphone with internet access compatible with the TIVA mobile application.
  • Willingness to install and use the TIVA app for 4 weeks.
  • Ability to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • Severe cognitive impairment.
  • difficulties preventing independent use of the application or completion of study assessments.
  • Severe psychiatric disorder or acute mental health crisis interfering with participation.
  • Participation in another structured caregiver support or psychological intervention during the study period.
  • Inability to use a smartphone independently.

Treatment and study plan

TIVA Mobile Application

Behavioral

The intervention consists of the use of the TIVA mobile application over a four-week period. The application was culturally adapted for Portuguese family caregivers and is based on Lluch's Positive Mental Health model. The app includes daily activities, motivational messages, relaxation exercises, psychoeducational content, and self-reflection strategies aimed at promoting positive mental health and well-being among family caregivers of older adults.

Primary outcomes

  1. Positive Mental Health

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 4 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

    Positive Mental Health assessed using the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ). The PMHQ total score ranges from 39 to 156, with higher scores indicating better positive mental health, emotional well-being, autonomy, interpersonal relationship skills, self-control, and problem-solving ability. Lower scores indicate lower levels of positive mental health.

    [Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 4 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]

Secondary outcomes

  1. Caregiver Burden

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 4 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

    Caregiver burden assessed using the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Total scores range from 0 to 88, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived caregiver burden, stress, and emotional overload associated with the caregiving role.

Other outcomes

  1. Usability of the TIVA Mobile Application

    Time frame: Post-intervention at 4 weeks

    Usability of the TIVA mobile application assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS). SUS scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction with the mobile application.

  2. Satisfaction With the TIVA Mobile Application

    Time frame: Post-intervention at 4 weeks.

    User satisfaction assessed using a TIVA-specific satisfaction questionnaire based on Likert-scale items. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction, usability, acceptability, and perceived usefulness of the TIVA mobile application.

  3. Adherence

    Time frame: During the 4-week intervention period.

    Adherence to the TIVA intervention assessed through in-app usage data, including frequency of logins, percentage of completed daily activities, and sustained participation throughout the 4-week intervention period. Higher adherence indicates greater engagement and continued use of the TIVA mobile application.

  4. Acceptability of the TIVA Intervention

    Time frame: Post-intervention at 4 weeks.

    Acceptability of the TIVA intervention assessed through participant-reported perceptions of usefulness, relevance, satisfaction, and willingness to continue or recommend the intervention. Higher scores indicate greater acceptability and perceived value of the TIVA mobile application.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Sandra MT Carreira, PhD Student

CONTACT

[email protected]

962189453

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universidade do Porto

Other

Collaborators

  • Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar

Registry information

Official study title

A Mobile Health Intervention for the Promotion of Mental Health in Family Caregivers: Protocol for a Pilot Study

Acronym: TIVA-Pilot

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jun 1, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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