Promoting Walking Among Older Adults Through Nostalgia-Based Messages and Step-Monitoring (NOSTEP)

April 30, 2026 updated by: Patrizia Catellani, Catholic University, Italy

4-Arm Randomised Controlled Trial Testing Nostalgia-Based Messages and Step-Monitoring to Promote Walking in Older Adults Aged 65-74: A Study Protocol

Physical inactivity increases substantially after age 60 and represents a major public health challenge in older adults, as it is linked to increased risk of functional and cognitive decline and aging problems. Walking is one of the most accessible and recommended forms of moderate physical activity for this population. However, promoting sustained engagement in walking remains difficult, as traditional informational approaches often fail to activate personally meaningful motivations.

This study tests whether nostalgia-based persuasive messages can promote walking by leveraging psychologically meaningful connections with the past. Nostalgia, a predominantly positive, bittersweet emotion associated with meaningful past experience, has been shown to strengthen self-continuity, self-esteem, and psychological well-being in older adults. Building on this framework, the present trial examines whether nostalgic memories can strengthen motivation to engage in walking behavior. In addition, the study investigates whether combining nostalgia-based messaging with a self-regulation strategy (daily step monitoring) enhances intervention effectiveness. Self-monitoring is a well-established behavioral technique that supports goal pursuit by increasing awareness and feedback.

Using a randomized controlled 4-arm factorial design, the study compares the effects of nostalgia-based messages, step-monitoring, their combination, and an attention control condition on walking behavior and its psychological determinants.

A national sample of 1,000 Italian adults aged 65-74, recruited through a certified panel provider (Ipsos) and balanced for age, gender, and geographic region, will be randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. All participants will receive one message per day for 14 days via a mobile application. Participants in the self-monitoring conditions will also be asked to track and report their daily step count using a pedometer application. Behavioral, psychological, and process measures will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up.

The study aims to provide experimental evidence on the role of nostalgia as a motivational driver of health behavior change and to clarify whether combining affective and self-regulatory strategies enhances intervention effectiveness in older adults.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

1000

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 Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • Milan
      • Milan, Milan, Italy, 20123
        • Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Milan)
        • Contact:

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

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 65 and 74 years
  • Willingness and ability to install and use the mobile applications required for study participation
  • Sufficient proficiency in the Italian language to understand study materials and complete the questionnaires.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Physical disabilities or medical conditions that preclude engagement in light to moderate physical activity, specifically:

  1. medical advice or prescription prohibiting engagement in light to moderate physical activity, assessed via a close-ended screening question;
  2. positive screening on a study specific close-ended question assessing ability to perform physical activity;
  3. positive screening on the adapted revised Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (rPAR-Q), indicating that participant may be unsafe.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Control
Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily messages about the benefits of recommended daily water intake via the PsyMe app for 14 days.
Behavioral: Messages about water intake benefits
All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content and do not include any walking-related prompts. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily water-intake goal consistent with standard recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of adequate hydration. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 provide brief information about different beneficial effects of adequate water intake and link hydration to each outcome using counterfactual formulations (e.g., "If you drink the recommended amount of water today, you may support your energy levels and help prevent lapses in concentration"). Message openings vary and include exclamatory statements, memory prompts, or rhetorical questions. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.
Experimental: Nostalgia-based messages
Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily nostalgia-based walking messages via the PsyMe app for 14 days. These messages are designed to prompt recall of positive past experiences and to encourage walking behavior.
Behavioral: Nostalgia-based messages promoting walking
All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of walking. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 are designed to activate different positive nostalgic experiences related to walking and movement, including past memories, emotions, bodily sensations, personal values, and self-concepts. These messages link walking behaviour to such positive experiences using counterfactual formulations (e.g., "If you walk as much as possible today, you may reconnect with sensations your body knows well."). Message openings vary and include exclamatory statements, memory prompts, or rhetorical questions. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.
Active Comparator: Step-monitoring
Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily reminders to monitor and record their step count through a step-tracking application via the PsyMe app for 14 days.
Behavioral: Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking
All messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, differ in content. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages prompt them to monitor their daily step count. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the physical activity goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 provide reminders to monitor step counts throughout the day using the pedometer app and to record the total number of daily steps in PsyMe at the end of the day (e.g., "During the day, monitor your step count using the pedometer app. This evening, record the total number of steps in the app."). The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.
Experimental: Nostalgia + Step-monitoring
Participants assigned to this arm will receive daily nostalgia-based walking messages and reminders to monitor their step count via the PsyMe app for 14 days.
Behavioral: Nostalgia-based messages & Step-monitoring reminders promoting walking
The messages, delivered digitally via PsyMe, are constructed by combining the exact texts used in the nostalgia and step-monitoring conditions. The Day 1 introductory message presents a daily walking goal consistent with WHO recommendations and informs participants that subsequent messages describe the benefits of walking and prompt them to monitor their daily step count. Participants will be encouraged to pursue the physical activity goal according to their individual capabilities. Messages delivered from Day 2 to Day 13 1) activate different positive nostalgic experiences related to walking and link walking behaviour to such positive experiences using counterfactual formulations, 2) provide reminders to track steps throughout the day using the pedometer app and record daily totals in PsyMe. The Day 14 message concludes the intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Walking Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Walking Intensity at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Daily Step Count at 2-Week Post-Intervention as Measured Via Pedometer App
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Baseline and 2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Sedentary Behaviour Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ)
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Light Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Adapted from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ), specifically for light physical activity.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Moderate Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Vigorous Physical Activity Frequency and Duration at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Version (IPAQ).
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Pedometer App Usage and Usage Frequency (Past Week) at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Measured using two study-specific items with multiple response options
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Attitude toward Walking at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Measured using an ad-hoc 7-point semantic differential scale assessing anticipated attitude toward walking in the next two weeks, across six bipolar adjective pairs. Higher scores are associated with more positive attitudes toward walking.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Intention to Walk at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Measured using an ad hoc 7-point Likert scale comprising 3 items and assessing intention to walk as much as possible over the next two weeks. Responses range from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher values indicating stronger intention to walk.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Efficacy to Walk at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Measured using a 12-item scale adapted from the Self-efficacy to Regulate Exercise scale (Carfora et al., 2022) to assess confidence in being able to walk as much as possible over the next two weeks under a variety of challenging circumstances. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy to walk.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Anticipated Positive Emotions Toward Walking at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Evaluated using an ad-hoc 6-item scale assessing anticipated positive emotions associated with walking as much as possible over the next two weeks. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicating stronger anticipated positive emotions toward walking.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Anticipated Negative Emotions Toward Walking at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Evaluated using an ad-hoc 6-item scale assessing anticipated negative emotions associated with not walking as much as possible over the next two weeks. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicating stronger anticipated negative emotions toward not walking.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Reported Daily Water Intake at 2-Week Post-Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Measured using an ad-hoc close-ended single-item measure assessing usual number of glasses of water consumed in an ordinary day.
Baseline and 2 weeks
Change from Baseline in Attitude toward Water Intake at 2-Week Post-Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Measured using an ad-hoc 7-point semantic differential scale assessing anticipated attitude toward drinking at least 2 liters of water per day over the next two weeks, across six bipolar adjective pairs. Higher scores are associated with more positive attitudes toward drinking water.
Baseline and 2 weeks
Change from Baseline in Intention to Drink Water at 2-Week Post-Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Measured using an ad hoc 7-point Likert scale comprising 3 items and assessing intention to drink at least 2 liters of water per day over the next two weeks. Responses range from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher values indicating stronger intention to drink water.
Baseline and 2 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline in State Nostalgia at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed using a study-adapted 3-item scale based on Wildschut et al. (2006) to measure recent feelings of nostalgia. The scale asks participants to indicate their agreement with statements such as "During the past week, I have felt rather nostalgic." Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicate greater state nostalgia.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Self-Continuity at 2-Week Post-Intervention and 4-Week Follow-up
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Assessed using a 4-item scale translated from the Self-Continuity Index (Sedikides et al., 2015) to measure perceived continuity and stability between past and present self. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher scores indicating greater self-continuity.
Baseline and 2 weeks and 4 weeks
Change from Baseline in Attitudes Toward Aging at 2-Week Post-Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Assessed using a study-adapted 4-item scale based on the Positive View of Aging subscale of the AgeCog scale of Ongoing Development (Wurm et al., 2013) to measure positive attitudes toward aging. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher values reflecting more positive attitudes toward aging.
Baseline and 2 weeks
Change from Baseline in Psychological Well-Being at 2-Week Post-Intervention
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Assessed using the Italian translation of the 5-item Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (Soraci et al., 2024) to measure psychological well-being over the past two weeks. T. Responses are given on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 7 (completely agree), with higher values reflecting greater psychological well-being.
Baseline and 2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Catholic University, Italy

Collaborators

IPSOS

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Patrizia Catellani, Social Psychology, Catholic University, Italy

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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 (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 30, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 6069838

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Sharing Time Frame

They will be made available before

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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