Nostalgia Intervention on Alleviating Loneliness Amongst Older Adults

NCT07288671 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: 2025.020-T
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 294
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The proposed study will utilise a two-arm, cluster-randomised, waitlist-controlled trial to (1) examine the effects of the nostalgia intervention on loneliness, negative emotions, social connectedness, meaning in life and nostalgia amongst community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong; (2) investigate whether the effect of the nostalgia intervention on loneliness is mediated by improvements in negative emotions, social connectedness and meaning in life; and (3) explore the experiences and perceptions of older adults participating in the nostalgia interventions, focusing on their views regarding the impact of the intervention on their loneliness.

Conditions

Loneliness

Keywords

loneliness; older adults; nostalgia intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Emotional and social loneliness

  The Chinese version of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. This six-item scale scores range from 0 to 6, with higher score indicates higher level of loneliness. This scale demonstrates good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.76) and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.98-1.00), as well as a strong correlation with direct assessments of loneliness.

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention

• Existential Loneliness

  Existential Loneliness Questionnaire, which comprises 22 items focused on loneliness in social ties, loneliness in close relationships and the search for meaning in life. The scores range from 22 to 132, higher scores indicate higher level of existential loneliness. The questionnaire also demonstrates good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.90).

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Negative emotions

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention.

• Social connectedness

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention

• Meaning in life

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention.

• Nostalgia

  Asessed at baseline (T0), immediate after (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-intervention

• Experiences and perceptions of older adults in intervention group

  Assessed within 1 day (T1) after the intervention

Study Arms (2)

Experimental: Nostalgia intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

In addition to usual community support services, participants in the intervention group will receive the face-to-face nostalgia intervention weekly for 5 weeks (each session lasting approximately 90 minutes), with each group consisting of 5-8 older adults.

Behavioral: Nostalgia intervention

Wait-list control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the wait-list control group will receive usual community support services provided by the community centres they belong to.

Interventions

Nostalgia intervention BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the intervention group will receive the face-to-face nostalgia intervention weekly for 5 weeks (each session lasting approximately 90 minutes), with each group consisting of 5-8 older adults. The intervention consists of 5 sessions: Session 1 (understanding nostalgia and its benefits), Session 2-4 (music/ photos/ meaningful objects and nostalgia), Session 5 (reaffirming the benefits of nostalgia).

Experimental: Nostalgia intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• older adults aged 60 years or above
• residing in the community
• capable of speaking and understanding Chinese
• experiencing loneliness (scoring ≥3 on a three-item loneliness screening scale)

You may not qualify if:

• currently undergoing psychological intervention
• having a clinical diagnosis of mental illness
• being cognitively impaired (Abbreviated Mental Test score \<6)
• having visual/language/communication difficulties

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Officials

• Cho Lee Wong, PhD

  The Nethersole School of Nursing, CUHK

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Cho Lee Wong, PhD

CONTACT

+852 39438166; jojowong@cuhk.edu.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: Wait-list trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 4, 2025
• First Posted: December 17, 2025
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028
• Last Updated: December 23, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share