Comparison of Two Park-Based Activities on Emotional Well-Being in Adults With Mobility Impairments

NCT05975476 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: IRB-300010981Internal grant
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 10
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study will examine the impact of a 10-week crossover urban park intervention on the emotional well-being of people with mobility impairments. Outcomes between 5 weeks of sensory engagement activity (i.e., enjoy sights, sounds; primarily sedentary) and 5 weeks of physical activity (i.e., wheeling/walking on trail) while in the park will be compared.

Conditions

Mobility Limitation; Physical Disability

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Emotional Stress - Hair

  A total of about 200 strands of hair will be cut from different parts of the scalp.

  Baseline PA, End of PA Intervention, Baseline SEA, End of SEA Intervention

• Emotional Stress - Saliva

  Each participant will be instructed to drool \~1.0 ml of saliva into a vial.

  Before Each Park Visit, End of Each Park Visit

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Subjective Well-Being (SWLS)

  Before Each Park Visit, End of Each Park Visit

• Subjective Well-Being (PANAS)

  Before Each Park Visit, End of Each Park Visit

Study Arms (2)

Physical Activity

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals in this group will wheel on a paved trail within the park for 30 minutes 2 times per week for 5 weeks.

Behavioral: Physical Activity

Sensory Engagement

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals in this group will sit comfortably in a peaceful area of the park and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature for 30 minutes 2 times per week for 5 weeks.

Behavioral: Sensory Engagement

Interventions

Physical Activity BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to continuously move at a moderate pace along a park trail for 30 minutes, with limited rest periods. The research assistant will monitor the person while in the park and the participant will be asked to turn off their cell phone during this time.

Physical Activity

Sensory Engagement BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to stay within a specific area of the park, relax and enjoy the scenery and engage their senses (see, touch, smell, and listen to nature). In addition, the participant will be told they can engage in meditation, mindfulness, and daydreaming. The research assistant will monitor the person while in the park and the participant will be asked to turn off their cell phone during this time.

Sensory Engagement

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• (1) ages between 18 and 60 years
• (2) non-progressive mobility impairment who use a manual wheelchair (e.g., SCI, transverse myelitis, amputation, spina bifida)
• (3) able to propel a manual wheelchair outdoors on even terrain independently
• (4) commit to complete the 5-week park visit program in both Fall and Spring seasons.

You may not qualify if:

• (1) bald or not willing to donate a hair sample
• (2) weekly park visit to an urban park during the last 3 months
• (3) weekly moderate intensity exercise regimen during the last 3 months
• (4) having an endocrine disorder (that can affect cortisol levels
• (5) taking oral corticosteroids
• (6) receiving hormonal therapy
• (7) unstable medical condition that prevents outdoor moderate intensity activity
• (8) inadequate comprehension and verbal communication in English (i.e., inability to express basic needs, participate in measurement of outcomes, or provide consent to participate in the study)
• (9) visual impairment that cannot be corrected using assistive devices

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Alabama at Birmingham: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Mobility Limitation

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Laurie Malone, PhD

  The University of Alabama at Birmingham

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Laurie Malone, PhD

CONTACT

1-205-934-1876; lamalone@uab.edu

Jie Gao, PhD

CONTACT

jgao@augusta.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 27, 2023
• First Posted: August 4, 2023
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share