A Scalable Model for Promoting Functioning and Well-Being Among Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment Via Meaningful Social Interactions: Project SPEAK!

June 28, 2023 updated by: John Piette, University of Michigan
The goal of this study is to refine and test a strategy for engaging older adults with symptoms of SCD/MCI (subjective cognitive decline/mild cognitive impairment) as volunteers to help English language learners (ELLs) who live in the US improve their speaking skills via structured conversations using videoconferencing.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Detailed Description

Aim 1: Conduct a user-centered design process to refine the SPEAK! training protocols for older adults with symptoms of SCD/MCI and ELLs, and the materials that will support productive engaging English conversation practice.

Aim 2: Conduct a randomized, wait-list controlled trial of 8 weeks of SPEAK! participation, using a variety of recruitment sources, in order to evaluate our capacity to recruit, implement the intervention, and retain older adults with symptoms of SCD/MCI in sufficient numbers for a subsequent randomized-controlled trial evaluating the intervention's impact on participants' psychological well-being, mood, and cognitive functioning.

Aim 3: Using mixed methods, evaluate the communication process between older adults with symptoms of SCD/MCI and ELLs including factors that contribute to satisfaction of both parties, engagement in planned contacts, possible contributors to stress or dissatisfaction, and perceptions among older adults of being appreciated and effective. The investigators will also estimate variances for key outcome variables and conduct exploratory analyses of intervention-control differences in participants' perceptions of their wellbeing, mood, and cognitive functioning.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

80

Phase

  • 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

    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex

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

Ages Eligible for Study

55 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Mild Cognitive Impairment participant --

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 55+ years of age, fluent speakers of English of any race/ethnicity, and be able to participate in a videoconference via a smartphone, tablet laptop, or desktop computer in their home or referring organization using a widely accessible, no cost videoconferencing platform.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants will be ineligible if they have a history of stroke or traumatic brain injury, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or current alcohol or drug abuse/dependence, that would affect their ability to participate in the study; MoCA score <12.

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: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Intervention
Participants will be paired with an English language learner and engage in 8 weeks, 1 hour videoconferencing sessions.
1 hour videoconferencing sessions over 8 weeks with an English language learner partner.
Other: Wait-list Control
Participants will wait 8 weeks and then they will be paired with an English language learner and engage in 8 weeks, 1 hour videoconferencing sessions.
1 hour videoconferencing sessions over 8 weeks with an English language learner partner.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of MCI/SCD (Mild Cognitive Impairment/Subjective Cognitive Decline) Participants Recruited Within the First Six Months
Time Frame: Baseline (Up to approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes over the course of two meetings).
The primary aim for Phase 2 of the study was to demonstrate the feasibility of recruiting and consenting a minimum of 35 older adults with MCI/SCD (mild cognitive impairment/subjective cognitive decline) within the first six months.
Baseline (Up to approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes over the course of two meetings).

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWB)
Time Frame: Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.
The Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWB) is a validated measure shown to be sensitive to intervention effects. This is a 6 point scale where the minimum is 1 (strongly disagree) and maximum is 6 (strongly agree). Higher scores reflect higher wellbeing.
Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.
UCLA Revised Loneliness Scale
Time Frame: Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.
This is a validated measure of loneliness with an alpha reliability of .94. This is a 4 point scale from 1=never to 4=always (minimum is 1 maximum is 4). Positively worded questions will be reverse-coded so that higher scores mean more loneliness.
Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.
Geriatric Depression Scale
Time Frame: Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.
The Geriatric Depression Scale is a measure of depressive symptoms specifically designed for older adults. The 30 point scale has a minimum of 0 points to maximum 30 points. Higher scores reflect greater depression.
Baseline and follow-up collected after the 8-week intervention time period.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: John D Piette, PhD, University of Michigan

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)

March 19, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 8, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

April 8, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 15, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 20, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

January 22, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 20, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 28, 2023

Last Verified

June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1R21AG066644 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • 5R21AG066644-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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