Effects of Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy on Older Adults With Dementia (SMT)

June 12, 2026 updated by: University of Primorska

Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effects of Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy on Behavioral, Psychological, and Physiological Symptoms in Older Adults With Dementia

This randomized, controlled, longitudinal clinical trial investigates the effects of Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy (SMT) as an adjunct to standard therapy (ST) in older adults with dementia. Sixty participants with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) will be recruited from the Center for Older Adults Lucija (Slovenia). Participants will be randomized into two groups: control (ST) and experimental (ST + SMT). SMT will be administered 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Primary outcomes include changes in agitation (CMAI), depression (CSDD), anxiety (HADS), physiological indicators (heart rate, HR variability, SpO2, skin conductance, salivary cortisol), and frequency of psychiatric medication use. Subjective well-being will also be tracked before and after each session.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Dementia is a growing public health concern, with high rates of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD), such as depression, agitation, and anxiety. Non-pharmacological therapies like Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy (SMT) are increasingly explored as safe and effective alternatives or complements to standard therapy (ST).

This randomized controlled clinical trial will evaluate the acute and chronic effects of SMT in 60 patients with dementia at the Center for Older Adults Lucija, Slovenia. Participants will be stratified by medication use and cognitive status and randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving SMT + ST, or a control group receiving ST alone. SMT consists of 30-minute sessions in a multisensory room equipped according to Snoezelen® guidelines. Sessions will be personalized and monitored, including physiological measurements before and after therapy.

Primary outcomes will include changes in BPSD measured by the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). Physiological indicators such as heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen saturation (SpO2), skin conductance, and salivary cortisol will be collected before and after the 1st and 36th sessions. Medication use (PRN) will be tracked every two weeks.

The study includes translation and validation of BPSD assessment tools into Slovenian. Results are expected to contribute valuable data to the field of dementia care and support broader implementation of SMT in geriatric settings. This study was registered retrospectively on ClinicalTrials.gov after study completion.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Slovenia
      • Portorož, Slovenia, 6320
        • Center for Older Adults Lucija

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Age 65 years or older

Diagnosed dementia (any subtype)

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between 10-25

Katz Performance Status Score (KPSS) between 10-24

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), indicated by at least one of the following:

Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) score >10

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score >8

Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) showing moderate or severe symptoms

Ability to follow basic instructions and communicate needs

Written informed consent obtained from the participant or their legal representative

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Acute psychiatric illness or unstable somatic condition

Severe visual or hearing impairments

Inability to communicate in Slovenian

Concurrent participation in psychotherapy or physiotherapy

Diagnosis of epilepsy

Changes to psychiatric medication within 4 weeks prior to study start

Any other condition that, in the opinion of the research team, would interfere with participation or data collectio

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: SMT + Standard Therapy
Participants in this group will receive standard therapy routinely provided at the care center in addition to Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy (SMT). SMT will be delivered individually in a Snoezelen-designed multisensory room for 30 minutes, three times per week, over a 12-week period. Sessions will be tailored to each participant's sensory profile and preferences.
Behavioral: Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy
A non-pharmacological, individualized sensory stimulation therapy delivered in a Snoezelen-designed multisensory environment. Sessions include visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory stimuli tailored to the participant's sensory profile and preferences. The intervention is delivered individually for 30 minutes, three times per week, over a 12-week period and is intended to reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and improve well-being.
Other Names:
  • SMT
  • Snoezelen
  • MSS
  • Multisensory stimulation
Behavioral: Standard Therapy
Standard therapy refers to routine care provided in the residential care setting and includes cognitive stimulation activities, group social interactions, occupational therapy, physical therapy, creative activities (e.g., art and music sessions), reminiscence therapy, and relaxation practices. These interventions are delivered by trained staff as part of the regular care program. No Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy or other multisensory stimulation interventions are provided as part of standard therapy.
Other Names:
  • ST
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Cognitive Training
  • Routine care
  • Group Social Engagement
Active Comparator: Standard Therapy Only
Participants in this group will receive standard therapy routinely provided at the care center, including cognitive stimulation activities (e.g., memory games, orientation exercises, attention and problem-solving tasks), group social interactions, occupational therapy, physical therapy, creative activities (e.g., art and music sessions), reminiscence therapy, and relaxation practices. No Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy (SMT) will be provided.
Behavioral: Standard Therapy
Standard therapy refers to routine care provided in the residential care setting and includes cognitive stimulation activities, group social interactions, occupational therapy, physical therapy, creative activities (e.g., art and music sessions), reminiscence therapy, and relaxation practices. These interventions are delivered by trained staff as part of the regular care program. No Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy or other multisensory stimulation interventions are provided as part of standard therapy.
Other Names:
  • ST
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Cognitive Training
  • Routine care
  • Group Social Engagement

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in agitation level as measured by Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) is used to measure the frequency of agitated behaviors in elderly participants with dementia. Scores range from 29 to 203, with higher scores indicating more frequent agitation.
Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
Change in depressive symptoms as measured by Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
The CSDD assesses signs of depression in individuals with dementia. Scores range from 0 to 38, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.
Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
Change in anxiety level (HADS-Anxiety Subscale)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
HADS-A is a validated subscale that measures anxiety in older adults. Scores range from 0 to 21, with higher values indicating greater anxiety.
Baseline, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8, Week 10, and Week 12
Change in heart rate
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Heart rate is measured using wearable physiological sensors as an indicator of autonomic arousal and physiological response.
Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Change in subjective well-being using a self-reported analog scale
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after each SMT session, three times per week for 12 weeks (36 sessions total)
Participants report their mood, comfort, and overall well-being on a self-reported visual analog scale ranging from 0 to 5 before and after each SMT session.
Immediately before and immediately after each SMT session, three times per week for 12 weeks (36 sessions total)
Change in heart rate variability (HRV)
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Heart rate variability (HRV) is measured using wearable physiological sensors as an indicator of autonomic nervous system regulation and physiological response to therapy.
Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Change in skin conductance
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Skin conductance is measured using wearable physiological sensors as an indicator of autonomic arousal and stress response
Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Change in oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) is measured using wearable physiological sensors as an indicator of oxygenation status during therapy.
Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Change in salivary cortisol concentration
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)
Salivary cortisol concentration is measured as a physiological biomarker of stress and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity.
Immediately before and immediately after Session 1 (Baseline), and immediately before and immediately after Session 36 (Week 12)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Primorska

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 12, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UPrimosrka
  • 0120-104/2020/6 (Other Identifier: Slovenian National Medical Ethics Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to ethical and privacy considerations, as the dataset contains sensitive information from vulnerable populations.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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