Finding With Nature: A Nature-Based Intervention for the Well-Being of Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 尚未招募
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 350
- 主要终点
- Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
研究概览
简要总结
This research project investigates the effects of a nature-based programme (Finding with Nature, FWN), on psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness among older adults (65 and older) who provide care for their close one in Finland. The FWN programme combines nature exposure, physical activity, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods. The effects of the FWN programme are studied in a randomised controlled trial. The psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness are investigated with self-report measures and analysed with quantitative methods. The results provide knowledge about the ability of nature-based, low-threshold methods to support older adults (65+) who provide care for their close one.
详细描述
An intervention study in randomised control trial design will be conducted with a target sample of 350 participants living in Central Finland. After receiving information about the research and providing a written consent, participants answer a question of caregiver burden and indicate whether they would prefer to participate in the Finding with Nature (FWN) programme in face-to-face group meetings or individually via an interactive online platform. After that, the participants are randomly allocated to intervention and control groups which are balanced according to the caregiver burden. The participants in the intervention group will be offered a 6-week FWN programme either in a face-to-face group or individually online, according to their own preference. In the face-to-face group implementation, the FWN programme will be carried out by a trained facilitator with meetings once a week. In the online implementation, the FWN programme will be completed individually at their own pace via an interactive online platform. In both implementation formats, participants will complete independent tasks and have the opportunity to share their experiences with peers.
At the core of the FWN programme are facilitated nature-based, low-threshold exercises in six theme areas of the FWN programme (one theme for each week): 1) Introduction, personal situation, and starting points for change; 2) personally meaningful matters and values; 3) acceptance of emotions and confronting barriers; 4) listening to the body, meaningful movement, and natural settings; 5) mindfulness skills and everyday choices; and (6) self-concept, self-compassion, and self-awareness.
Participants respond to surveys at three measurement points: a pre-measurement at the start of the programme, a post-measurement at the end of the programme, and a follow-up measurement three months after the end of the programme. The participants in the intervention group are compared to the participants in the control group who continue life as usual and only respond to online surveys at three measurement points (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). The control group participants are offered a opportunity to participate in face-to-face group meetings or the online implementation of the FWN programme after the follow-up measurement.
This research is funded by the Health Promotion Grant (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, STM, va-thl-2025-1-80).
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Prevention
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 65 Years 至 —（Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Age 65 years and older
- •Providing care for a close one, formally or informally
- •Able to communicate adequately in Finnish
- •Willingness to commit to a 6-week intervention programme
排除标准
- 未提供
研究组 & 干预措施
Finding with Nature intervention
Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will take part in a 6-week structured intervention program.
干预措施: Finding with Nature Programme (Behavioral)
No intervention
Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will continue their usual daily life without the study intervention during the 6-week follow-up period. After the follow-up, they will be offered the opportunity to participate in the intervention.
结局指标
主要结局
Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
时间窗: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
次要结局
- Caregivers' perceived coping as caregivers: COPE Index(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Functioning: the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) SCT4(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Self-rated health: a single validated item(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Connectedness to nature: short version of Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Connectedness to nature and nature-related experiences: the Holistic Nature Experience measure(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Psychological flexibility: Comprehensive Assessment of ACT Processes (CompACT-10)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Physical activity: International physical activity questionnaire -short form (IPAQ-SF)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Restorative experiences: the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS)(Immediately before and after each of the six weekly intervention sessions during the 6-week intervention period.)
- Life-space mobility: the Life-Space Assessment (LSA)(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
- Engagement with natural and green environments(Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.)
研究者
Julija Chichaeva
Researcher
JAMK University Of Applied Sciences