Activation-Socialization Intervention Program for Seniors

Verification of the Impact of an Activation-Socialization Intervention Program in the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region of the Slovak Republic

Objective No. 1: Verify the short-term effectiveness of the Activation-Socialization Intervention Program on the experiences (emotionality, anxiety) and behavior (agitated behavior) of seniors in the experimental and control groups.

Objective No. 2: Verify the long-term effectiveness of the Activation-Socialization Intervention Program on the experience (emotionality, anxiety) and behavior (agitated behavior) of seniors in the experimental and control groups.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Activation and Socialization Intervention Program

Detailed Description

The main question the project seeks to answer is:

Are there significant differences in the degree of emotional experience- negative and positive emotional states-anxiety, and the occurrence of agitated behavior-aggressive, physically non-aggressive, and verbally agitated behavior-between the experimental group of older adults and the control group of older adults during the measurements (pretest measurement vs. retest measurement; pretest measurement vs. retest measurement II; retest measurement vs. retest measurement II)?

Researchers will compare the experimental group (older adults participating in the A-S IP program) with the control group (older adults not participating in the intervention) to assess the impact on emotional states, anxiety, and agitated behavior.

Participants will:

• Participate in 45 activities based on three areas (Laughter therapy, Reminiscence therapy, and Intervention to stimulate of cognitive and social skills)
• Engage in group activities for 5 weeks, with daily sessions scheduled for the morning and afternoon
• Provide feedback on their experiences through surveys and questionnaires to assess their emotional states, anxiety and agitated behavior, and satisfaction with the intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 200
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Slovakia
  • Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, 974 11
    • Office of the Higher Territorial Unit of Banská Bystrica

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria for edlerly adults:

• age over 62 years,
• residence in a facility for seniors in in the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region of the Slovak Republic,
• willingness and ability to participate in the research (taking into account physiological and psychological health limitations),
• availability of an internal or external psychologist/psychiatris
• the presence of at least two employees with the required education (social work, andragogy, psychology, nursing) or completed training (social rehabilitation instructor) who have participated in the Education Program

Exclusion Criteria for elderly adults:

• age 62 years and under, residence in another type of facility (e.g. specialized facility, crisis center, community center), residence outside the territory of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region of the Slovak Republic,
• inability to participate in the research due to serious health problems,
• unavailability of professional staff or psychologist/psychiatrist,
• unwillingness or disagreement with participation in the research
• participation in another intervention program during the duration of the research
• non-participation of employees in the Education Program

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Activation-socialization Interventiom Programme; The experimental group participates in an Activation-Socialization Intervention Program for five weeks.	Other: Activation and Socialization Intervention Program; The content of the Activation and Socialization Intervention Program is designed based on the identified needs and interests of seniors. It consists of 45 activities, which are divided into three concepts. Laughter therapy (Ďuricová, 2026c) includes 13 activities, Reminiscence therapy (Ďuricová, 2026b) includes 13 activities, The intervention to stimulate cognitive abilities and social skills (Ďuricová, 2026a) consists of 19 activities. The implementation of the Program is planned for a period of five weeks, during which activities take place regularly every working day in two blocks. Each day includes two activities - one in the morning (10:00-11:00 a.m.) and one in the afternoon (1:00-2:00 p.m.). The proposed activities are incorporated into the program in a targeted manner and planned in advance according to methodological principles, with their schedule respecting the principles, which are listed in publications (Ďuricová, 2026a, 2026b, 2026c).
No Intervention: Control group; The control group does not participate in the intervention program.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Scale of Emotional Habituation of Subjective Well-Being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002)	The Scale of Emotional Habituation of Subjective Well-Being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002) was used to examine the short-term effectiveness of the intervention programme. The self-esteem scale maps the frequency of experiencing positive and negative emotions, totalling 10. Negative emotional experiencing consists of six emotions such as anger, guilt, fear, pain, sadness, and shame, positive emotional experiencing consists of pleasure, physical freshness, joy, and happiness. The participants responded on a six-point scale (6 - almost always; 1 - almost never). The total score of negative emotions is the sum of negative emotions, and the total score of positive emotions is the sum of positive emotions (Džuka et al., 2021).	two months
The Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI (Spielberger et al., 1970, ed. Ruisel et al., 1980)	The Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI (Spielberger et al., 1970, ed. Ruisel et al., 1980), specifically only the anxiety portion of the questionnaire, i.e., the Scale for the Measurement of Anxiety as a Condition, STAI X-1. This is the self-assessment portion of the questionnaire, which maps the degree of current experience of feelings of tension, tenseness, nervousness, fear, and apprehension. It contains 20 statements, some of which relate to the existence of these feelings and some of which relate to their absence. Seniors rated their experiencing on a four-point scale (4 - very, 1 - not at all). The result is a total score, which is obtained by summing the values on the scale taking into account reverse scaling. The range of the total score is 20-80. We based the norms on those presented in the manual by Ruisel et al. (1980).	two months
Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - CMAI (Cohen-Mansfield, 1991), specifically CMAI-D, long version.	Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - CMAI (Cohen-Mansfield, 1991), specifically CMAI-D, long version. It is an assessment questionnaire, designed for institutional staff, that reflects the manifestations and frequency of agitated behaviors among older persons living in the facility. It includes 29 manifestations of behaviour, and social workers rated the behaviour of the elderly during the last 2 weeks on a seven-point scale (7 - several times per hour, 1 - never). The total score is calculated by summing all items (Sánchez, 2016). It reaches values of 29-203, based on the information that a total score (greater than) > 45 indicates significant agitation (Cohen-Mansfield & al., 1989). Cohen-Mansfield (1991) used factor analysis to develop three factors of agitated behaviour that occur in a nursing home: factor 1 - aggressive behavior; factor 2 - physically non-aggressive behavior; factor 3 - verbally agitated behavior.	two months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Reflection Questionnaire (Ďuricová, 2023)	This is a questionnaire that maps client satisfaction with activities. It includes three statements, with clients expressing their level of agreement on a three-point scale (agree - have no strong opinion - disagree) in the areas of: re participation, usefulness and disinterest in the activities. It also includes three incomplete sentences that seniors complete at will. Responses reflect what clients learned/how the activities helped them, what they liked most about the activities, what they would remove from the activities.	six weeks
The Scale of Emotional Habituation of Subjective Well-Being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002)	The Scale of Emotional Habituation of Subjective Well-Being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002) was used to examine the short-term effectiveness of the intervention programme. The self-esteem scale maps the frequency of experiencing positive and negative emotions, totalling 10. Negative emotional experiencing consists of six emotions such as anger, guilt, fear, pain, sadness, and shame, positive emotional experiencing consists of pleasure, physical freshness, joy, and happiness. The participants responded on a six-point scale (6 - almost always; 1 - almost never). The total score of negative emotions is the sum of negative emotions, and the total score of positive emotions is the sum of positive emotions (Džuka et al., 2021).	six months
The Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI (Spielberger et al., 1970, ed. Ruisel et al., 1980)	The Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI (Spielberger et al., 1970, ed. Ruisel et al., 1980), specifically only the anxiety portion of the questionnaire, i.e., the Scale for the Measurement of Anxiety as a Condition, STAI X-1. This is the self-assessment portion of the questionnaire, which maps the degree of current experience of feelings of tension, tenseness, nervousness, fear, and apprehension. It contains 20 statements, some of which relate to the existence of these feelings and some of which relate to their absence. Seniors rated their experiencing on a four-point scale (4 - very, 1 - not at all). The result is a total score, which is obtained by summing the values on the scale taking into account reverse scaling. The range of the total score is 20-80. We based the norms on those presented in the manual by Ruisel et al. (1980).	six months
Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - CMAI (Cohen-Mansfield, 1991), specifically CMAI-D, long version.	Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory - CMAI (Cohen-Mansfield, 1991), specifically CMAI-D, long version. It is an assessment questionnaire, designed for institutional staff, that reflects the manifestations and frequency of agitated behaviors among older persons living in the facility. It includes 29 manifestations of behaviour, and social workers rated the behaviour of the elderly during the last 2 weeks on a seven-point scale (7 - several times per hour, 1 - never). The total score is calculated by summing all items (Sánchez, 2016). It reaches values of 29-203, based on the information that a total score (greater than) > 45 indicates significant agitation (Cohen-Mansfield & al., 1989). Cohen-Mansfield (1991) used factor analysis to develop three factors of agitated behaviour that occur in a nursing home: factor 1 - aggressive behavior; factor 2 - physically non-aggressive behavior; factor 3 - verbally agitated behavior.	six months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Diana Ďuricová
• Collaborators: European Union
• Investigators: Study Director: Lenka Ďuricová, doc., Mgr., PhD., Matej Bel University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Spielberger, Ch. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). Stai manual for the state trait anxiety inventory. Consulting Psychologists Press.
• Ďuricová, D. (2026c). Aktivizačno-socializačný intervenčný program pre seniorov: Terapia smiechom [Activation-Socialization Intervention Program for Seniors: Laughter Therapy]. Grada.
• Ďuricová, D. (2026b). Aktivizačno-socializačný intervenčný program pre seniorov: Reminiscenčná terapia [Activation-Socialization Intervention Program for Seniors: Reminiscence Therapy]. Grada.
• Ďuricová, D. (2026a). Aktivizačno-socializačný intervenčný program pre seniorov: Intervencia na stimuláciu kognitívnych schopností a sociálnych zručností [Activation-Socialization Intervention Program for Seniors: Intervention to Stimulate Cognitive Abilities and Social Skills ]. Grada.
• Ďuricová, D. (2023). Vplyv Snoezelen intervencie a Reminiscenčnej terapie na emocionalitu, úzkosť a agitované správanie seniorov v zariadení [The Effect of Snoezelen Intervention and Reminiscence Therapy on Emotionality, Anxiety, and Agitated Behavior in Seniors in a Care Facility ] [Master's Thesis, Matej Bel University].CRZP.
• Cohen-Mansfield, J. (1991). Instruction Manual for the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). The Research Institute of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington.
• Ruisel, I., Müllner, J., & Farkaš, G. (1980). Dotazník na meranie úzkosti a úzkostlivosti [Questionnaire for measuring anxiety and anxiousness]. Psychodiagnostika, spoločnosť s. r. o.
• Džuka, J., & Dalbert, C. (2002). Vývoj a overenie validity škál emocionálnej habituálnej subjektívnej pohody (SEHP) [Development and validation of the scales of emotional habitual subjective well-being]. Československá psychologie, 46(3), 234-250.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 23, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 4, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: anxiety; intervention; elderly adult; emotionality; agitated behavior
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Dyskinesias; Psychomotor Disorders; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Signs and Symptoms; Anxiety Disorders; Psychomotor Agitation
• Other Study ID Numbers: 09I03-03-V05-00009 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Early stage grants - Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The informed consent form will be shared.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: The informed consent form will be shared without restriction.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Everyone will have access to the informed consent form.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

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