We Walk Plus Study for Older Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

We Walk Plus Study: A Walking Program Using Physical Activity Monitors and Social Networking for Older Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

Determine the feasibility and acceptability of We Walk Plus intervention to promote physical activity and improve cognition for older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Intellectual Disability
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: We Walk Plus Intervention

Detailed Description

We Walk Plus study consists of: (1) a user friendly physical activity tracker (i.e., Fitbit Charge HR ); (2) user-centered social networking (e.g., Fitbit community); and (3) the iCardia platform for monitoring daily Fitbit physical activity and wear time and sending personalized text-messages targeting physical activity and self-efficacy. The specific aims of this two-arm RCT pilot are to: 1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of the We Walk Plus intervention and 2) explore the preliminary efficacy of We Walk Plus on physical activity and well-being.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 46
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60608
      • University of Illinois at Chicago
    • New Lenox, Illinois, United States, 60451
      • Trinity Services Inc.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 35 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities;
• ages 35-60;
• able to speak, read English and willing to provide consent to enroll;
• able to follow instructions and walk, physically inactive;
• willing to receive SMS, wear Fitbit throughout the study;
• living with family or in a community residence;
• support persons are willing to assist participants to ensure the Fitbit functions properly.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to follow instructions;
• diagnosis of coronary disease or uncontrolled hypertension, smokers, physically active;
• participating in a health promotion program;
• having mental illness or behavior problems;
• support persons unable or unwilling to assist participants with Fitbit devices, if needed.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: We Walk Plus Intervention; The intervention group will receive a Fitbit, SMS and will be assigned to a private Fitbit community (4-5 participants per group) for 12 weeks. During the intervention, participants will receive weekly personalized SMS on their mobile phones including encouraging messages, reminders, and tips to increase steps, and weekly step goals. The investigators will use a secure, web-based platform, iCardia, to support continuous real-time remote monitoring of activity data from Fitbit devices and personalized communication via SMS based on incoming data. The investigators will set up the Fitbit networking settings on participants' phones to give notifications when there are posts to this group. Individual goals and a weekly team goal of steps will be set up by the research team. Each member will be awarded a badge upon reaching each individual's weekly goal. Teams will also be awarded badges when all team members reach their individual weekly goals.	Behavioral: We Walk Plus Intervention; The frequency and content of weekly personalized SMS are based on each participant's preference. Prior to implementation of intervention, the investigators will conduct focus groups to learn participants' social network activities and preferences, strategies that can be used to encourage engagement via a private Fitbit community network.
No Intervention: Attention control group; The attention control group will also receive a Fitbit and will be asked to continue with normal daily activities. During the initial in-person session, they will receive the same PA recommendations as the intervention group to walk at least 30 minutes for 5 days or more a week or 10,000 steps a day. However, a plan for improving PA will not be discussed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Physical activity	daily steps	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cardiovascular fitness	modified six-minute walk test	12 weeks
Self-efficacy to physical activity	Physical Activity Self-efficacy/Social Support scale will be used to assess confidence to perform physical activity	12 weeks
Attention & executive function	Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test -a standard test from the NIH toolbox which has been adapted and validated for individuals with ID to assess one's limited capacities to deal with an abundance of environmental stimulation.	12 weeks
Working memory	List Sorting Working Memory Test-a standard test from the NIH toolbox which has been adapted and validated for individuals with ID to assess the ability to store information.	12 weeks
Executive function	Dimensional Change Card Sort Test -a standard test from the NIH toolbox which has been adapted and validated for individuals with ID to assess one's capacity to plan, organize, and monitor the executive of behaviors.	12 weeks
Processing speed	Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test- a standard test from the NIH toolbox which has been adapted and validated for individuals with ID to assess the amount of information that can be processed within a certain unit of time.	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Illinois at Chicago

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 15, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 29, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): October 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 15, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical activity; walking; older adults with an intellectual disability
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Signs and Symptoms; Intellectual Disability; Motor Activity; Investigative Techniques; Methods
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2020-1140

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No