Promoting Walking Among Older Adults Through Nostalgia-Based Messages and Step-Monitoring

NCT07570303 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 6069838
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Physical inactivity increases substantially after age 60 and represents a major public health challenge in older adults, as it is linked to increased risk of functional and cognitive decline and aging problems. Walking is one of the most accessible and recommended forms of moderate physical activity for this population. However, promoting sustained engagement in walking remains difficult, as traditional informational approaches often fail to activate personally meaningful motivations. This study tests whether nostalgia-based persuasive messages can promote walking by leveraging psychologically meaningful connections with the past. Nostalgia, a predominantly positive, bittersweet emotion associated with meaningful past experience, has been shown to strengthen self-continuity, self-esteem, and psychological well-being in older adults. Building on this framework, the present trial examines whether nostalgic memories can strengthen motivation to engage in walking behavior. In addition, the study investigates whether combining nostalgia-based messaging with a self-regulation strategy (daily step monitoring) enhances intervention effectiveness. Self-monitoring is a well-established behavioral technique that supports goal pursuit by increasing awareness and feedback. Using a randomized controlled 4-arm factorial design, the study compares the effects of nostalgia-based messages, step-monitoring, their combination, and an attention control condition on walking behavior and its psychological determinants. A national sample of 1,000 Italian adults aged 65-74, recruited through a certified panel provider (Ipsos) and balanced for age, gender, and geographic region, will be randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. All participants will receive one message per day for 14 days via a mobile application. Participants in the self-monitoring conditions will also be asked to track and report their daily step count using a pedometer application. Behavioral, psychological, and process measures will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The study aims to provide experimental evidence on the role of nostalgia as a motivational driver of health behavior change and to clarify whether combining affective and self-regulatory strategies enhances intervention effectiveness in older adults.

Conditions

Walking; Older Adults (65 Years and Older); Messaging; Mobile Applications; Reminder Systems; Psychosocial Factors; Psychosocial Effects and Treatment; Physical Activity Promotion; Health Behaviour; Functional Decline; Aging Problems

Keywords

health behaviour change; physical activity; walking; older adults; persuasive communication; messages; nostalgia; self-monitoring

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Walking Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Walking Intensity at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Daily Step Count at 2-Week Post-Intervention as Measured Via Pedometer App

  Baseline and 2 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (13)

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Sedentary Behaviour Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Light Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Moderate Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Vigorous Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Pedometer App Usage and Usage Frequency (Past Week) at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

Other Outcomes (4)

• Change from Baseline in State Nostalgia at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Self-Continuity at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up

  Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Change from Baseline in Attitudes Toward Aging at 2-Week Post-Intervention

  Baseline and 2 weeks

Study Arms (4)

Control

OTHER

Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily messages about the benefits of recommended daily water intake via the PsyMe app for 14 days.

Behavioral: Messages about water intake benefits

Nostalgia-based messages

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily nostalgia-based walking messages via the PsyMe app for 14 days. These messages are designed to prompt recall of positive past experiences and to encourage walking behavior.

Behavioral: Nostalgia-based messages promoting walking

Step-monitoring

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily reminders to monitor and record their step count through a step-tracking application via the PsyMe app for 14 days.

Behavioral: Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking

Nostalgia + Step-monitoring

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily nostalgia-based walking messages and reminders to monitor their step count via the PsyMe app for 14 days.

Behavioral: Nostalgia-based messages & Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking

Interventions

Nostalgia-based messages promoting walking BEHAVIORAL

All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of walking. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 are designed to activate different positive nostalgic experiences related to walking and movement, including past memories, emotions, bodily sensations, personal values, and self-concepts. These messages link walking behaviour to such positive experiences using counterfactual formulations (e.g., "If you walk as much as possible today, you may reconnect with sensations your body knows well."). Message openings vary and include exclamatory statements, memory prompts, or rhetorical questions. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.

Nostalgia-based messages

Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking BEHAVIORAL

All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages prompt them to monitor their daily step count. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the physical activity goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 provide reminders to monitor step counts throughout the day using the pedometer app and to record the total number of daily steps in PsyMe at the end of the day (e.g., "During the day, monitor your step count using the pedometer app. This evening, record the total number of steps in the app."). The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.

Step-monitoring

Messages about water intake benefits BEHAVIORAL

All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content and do not include any walking-related prompts. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily water-intake goal consistent with standard recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of adequate hydration. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 provide brief information about different beneficial effects of adequate water intake and link hydration to each outcome using counterfactual formulations (e.g., "If you drink the recommended amount of water today, you may support your energy levels and help prevent lapses in concentration"). Message openings vary and include exclamatory statements, memory prompts, or rhetorical questions. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.

Control

Nostalgia-based messages & Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking BEHAVIORAL

The messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, are constructed by combining the exact texts used in the nostalgia and step-monitoring conditions. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of walking and prompt them to monitor their daily step count. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the physical activity goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 1) activate different positive nostalgic experiences related to walking and link walking behaviour to such positive experiences using counterfactual formulations, 2) provide reminders to track steps throughout the day using the pedometer app and record daily totals in PsyMe. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.

Nostalgia + Step-monitoring

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years - 74 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 65 and 74 years
• Willingness and ability to install and use the mobile applications required for study participation
• Sufficient proficiency in the Italian language to understand study materials and complete the questionnaires.

You may not qualify if:

• \- Physical disabilities or medical conditions that preclude engagement in light to moderate physical activity, specifically:
• medical advice or prescription prohibiting engagement in light to moderate physical activity, assessed via a close-ended screening question;
• positive screening on a study specific close-ended question assessing ability to perform physical activity;
• positive screening on the adapted revised Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (rPAR-Q), indicating that participant may be unsafe.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Catholic University, Italy: lead
• IPSOS: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Milan)

Milan, Milan, 20123, Italy

Location

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Patrizia Catellani, Social Psychology

  Catholic University, Italy

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Patrizia Catellani, PhD in Social Psychology

CONTACT

393356741468; patrizia.catellani@unicatt.it

Valentina Carfora, PhD in Social Psychology

CONTACT

393338569908; valentina.carfora@unicatt.it

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Full Professor

Model Details: The study is a randomized controlled trial with four parallel arms and allocation ratio 1:1:1:1. Participants will be recruited through a certified panel provider on the basis of eligibility criteria, and randomly assigned to one of four conditions: control, nostalgia, step-monitoring, or nostalgia + step-monitoring. Randomization will be implemented by the panel provider during the invitation phase through the delivery of access codes that direct participants to the arm-specific version of PsyMe to which they are assigned after informed consent is obtained. The intervention will last 14 days with one message delivered via the PsyMe app every day at the same hour. Self-report data will be collected via questionnaires uploaded on Qualtrics and administered through the PsyMe app at three time points: baseline (T1, before the start of messaging intervention), post-intervention (T2, immediately after the 14-day messaging period), and follow-up (2 weeks after T2).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2026
• First Posted: May 6, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: They will be made available before

Locations

IT (1)