The Effects of Virtual Tours on Elderly People Living Alone

NCT07874997 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HF-24006
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This experimental study aimed to determine the effect of virtual museum tours on the psychological well-being and loneliness levels of individuals aged 65 years and older living alone. Individuals aged 65 years and older who were living alone at home were included in the study. The required sample size was calculated using G\*Power software and determined to be 42 participants, with 21 participants in the intervention group and 21 in the control group. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Psychological Well-Being Scale for Older Adults (YPİOÖ), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS). Following the pre-test assessment, participants in the intervention group participated in virtual museum tours through the "Virtual Tour" website provided by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism (https://sanalmuze.gov.tr/?\_Dil=1). The virtual museum tours were conducted once a week for six weeks. After completion of the intervention, the questionnaires were administered again as a post-test. No intervention was applied to the control group until the completion of the study; participants in the control group were subsequently offered the opportunity to experience the virtual museum tour. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, frequency, and percentage), Student's t-test, and paired-samples t-test. A p-value of \<0.05 was considered statistically significant. All necessary permissions were obtained prior to conducting the study.

Conditions

Elderly (People Aged 65 or More); Well Being; Loneliness; Nursing

Keywords

Older Adults; Psychological Well-Being; Loneliness; Nursing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Level of psychological well-being

  This will be assessed using the total score on the Psychological Well-being Scale for Older Adults. Developed by Gümüş Demir in 2022, this is a 15-item, five-point Likert-type scale designed to assess levels of psychological well-being in individuals aged 60 and over. The scale items are scored on a scale ranging from 1 'I strongly disagree' to 5 'I strongly agree'. The total score that can be obtained from the scale ranges from 15 to 75, with a higher score indicating a higher level of psychological well-being. Items 8 and 13 of the scale are reverse-scored. Measurements will be taken at the start, at the end of the 6-week intervention, and 3 months after the intervention has been completed. It is planned that data collection completed within approximately 6 months.

  6 Months

• Level of loneliness

  This will be assessed using the total score on the UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale. The scale, developed by Russell and colleagues and for which a validity and reliability study in Turkish was carried out by Demir, consists of 20 items. Ten items are scored in a positive direction and ten in a negative direction. A higher total score on the scale indicates an increased level of loneliness. Measurements will be taken at the start, at the end of the 6-week programme, and 3 months after the programme has finished.It is planned that data collection completed within approximately 6 months.

  6 Months

Study Arms (2)

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

EXPERIMENTAL

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE METHODOLOGY, PARTICIPANTS WATCHED A VIRTUAL TOUR AND COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE MEASUREMENTS

Other: VIRTUAL TOUR

CONTROL GROUP

NO INTERVENTION

SURVEY MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN WITHOUT SHOWING PARTICIPANTS ANYTHING

Interventions

VIRTUAL TOUR OTHER

Following the pre-test assessment, participants in the intervention group participated in virtual museum tours through the "Virtual Tour" website provided by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism (https://sanalmuze.gov.tr/?\_Dil=1). The virtual museum tours were conducted once a week for six weeks. After completion of the intervention, the questionnaires were administered again as a post-test.

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• those who volunteer to take part in the study,
• those aged 65 and over,
• residing in either the Çeştepe or Tepecik neighbourhoods of Aydın province,
• living alone,
• literate,
• able to speak and write in Turkish,
• and who do not have any mental health issues severe enough to prevent them from understanding the research process or completing the questionnaires.

You may not qualify if:

• those living with their family, spouse or children,
• those living in a care home,
• those with comprehension difficulties severe enough to prevent them from understanding and completing the study procedures,
• those with severe visual or hearing impairments that would prevent them from participating in the study procedures.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Merve OZKAN: lead

Study Sites (1)

Aydın Adnan Menderes University

Aydin, Efeler, 09010, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Model Details: RANDOMIZED

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 5, 2026
• First Posted: October 15, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2025
• Study Completion: July 31, 2026
• Last Updated: October 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)