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Finding With Nature: A Study Testing Nature-Based Support for Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over (FWN)

16. september 2026 oppdatert av: Julija Chichaeva, JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Finding With Nature: A Nature-Based Intervention for the Well-Being of Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

This research project investigates the effects of a nature-based programme (Finding with Nature, FWN), on psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness among older adults (65 and older) who provide care for their close one in Finland. The FWN programme combines nature exposure, physical activity, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods. The effects of the FWN programme are studied in a randomised controlled trial. The psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness are investigated with self-report measures and analysed with quantitative methods. The results provide knowledge about the ability of nature-based, low-threshold methods to support older adults (65+) who provide care for their close one.

Studieoversikt

Detaljert beskrivelse

An intervention study in randomised control trial design will be conducted with a target sample of 350 participants living in Central Finland. After receiving information about the research and providing a written consent, participants answer a question of caregiver burden and indicate whether they would prefer to participate in the Finding with Nature (FWN) programme in face-to-face group meetings or individually via an interactive online platform. After that, the participants are randomly allocated to intervention and control groups which are balanced according to the caregiver burden. The participants in the intervention group will be offered a 6-week FWN programme either in a face-to-face group or individually online, according to their own preference. In the face-to-face group implementation, the FWN programme will be carried out by a trained facilitator with meetings once a week. In the online implementation, the FWN programme will be completed individually at their own pace via an interactive online platform. In both implementation formats, participants will complete independent tasks and have the opportunity to share their experiences with peers.

At the core of the FWN programme are facilitated nature-based, low-threshold exercises in six theme areas of the FWN programme (one theme for each week): 1) Introduction, personal situation, and starting points for change; 2) personally meaningful matters and values; 3) acceptance of emotions and confronting barriers; 4) listening to the body, meaningful movement, and natural settings; 5) mindfulness skills and everyday choices; and (6) self-concept, self-compassion, and self-awareness.

Participants respond to surveys at three measurement points: a pre-measurement at the start of the programme, a post-measurement at the end of the programme, and a follow-up measurement three months after the end of the programme. The participants in the intervention group are compared to the participants in the control group who continue life as usual and only respond to online surveys at three measurement points (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). The control group participants are offered a opportunity to participate in face-to-face group meetings or the online implementation of the FWN programme after the follow-up measurement.

This research is funded by the Health Promotion Grant (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, STM, va-thl-2025-1-80).

Studietype

Intervensjonell

Registrering (Antatt)

350

Fase

  • Ikke aktuelt

Kontakter og plasseringer

Denne delen inneholder kontaktinformasjon for de som utfører studien, og informasjon om hvor denne studien blir utført.

Studiekontakt

Studer Kontakt Backup

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

  • Eldre voksen

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 65 years and older
  • Providing care for a close one, formally or informally
  • Able to communicate adequately in Finnish
  • Willingness to commit to a 6-week intervention programme

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

  • Primært formål: Forebygging
  • Tildeling: Randomisert
  • Intervensjonsmodell: Parallell tildeling
  • Masking: Ingen (Open Label)

Våpen og intervensjoner

Deltakergruppe / Arm
Intervensjon / Behandling
Eksperimentell: Finding with Nature intervention
Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will take part in a 6-week structured intervention program.
A 6-week nature-based program integrating physical activity in nature and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to promote well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness. Delivered either in face-to-face groups or via an online platform, including guided sessions, independent exercises, informational content, and opportunities for peer support.
Ingen inngripen: No intervention
Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will continue their usual daily life without the study intervention during the 6-week follow-up period. After the follow-up, they will be offered the opportunity to participate in the intervention.

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Caregivers' perceived coping as caregivers: COPE Index
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
COPE Index evaluates the caregiver's subjective experience of strain, support, and quality of the caregiving relationship. 15-item scale, range 15-75; higher scores indicate greater caregiving burden.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Functioning: the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
A standardized assessment of functioning across multiple life domains. 12-item scale, range 0-48; higher scores indicate greater disability (worse functioning).
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) SCT4
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Measure designed specifically for informal caregivers, focusing on social care-related quality of life. 8-item scale; higher scores indicate better social care-related quality of life.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Self-rated health: a single validated item
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature: short version of Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Short version of the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS), 7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate greater connectedness to nature.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature and nature-related experiences: the Holistic Nature Experience measure
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
16-item scale, range 16-96; higher scores indicate more positive nature-related experiences.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Psychological flexibility: Comprehensive Assessment of ACT Processes (CompACT-10)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
10-item scale, range 0-60; higher scores indicate greater psychological flexibility
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
7-item scale, range 0-21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptoms
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Physical activity: International physical activity questionnaire -short form (IPAQ-SF)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF), 7-item questionnaire. Total physical activity is expressed as MET-minutes per week. The minimum value is 0 MET-minutes/week, with no fixed maximum value. Higher scores indicate higher levels of physical activity.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Restorative experiences: the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS)
Tidsramme: Immediately before and after each of the six weekly intervention sessions during the 6-week intervention period.
6-item scale, range 6-42; higher scores indicate greater restorative experiences
Immediately before and after each of the six weekly intervention sessions during the 6-week intervention period.
Life-space mobility: the Life-Space Assessment (LSA)
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Capture the spatial extent and frequency of participants' mobility in daily life, assessing mobility over the previous 4 weeks, range 0-120; higher scores indicate greater life-space mobility
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Engagement with natural and green environments
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Assessed through questions on frequency, purpose, and patterns of nature visits.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

Andre resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Caregiver characteristics
Tidsramme: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Information is collected on the care recipient, duration of caregiving, formal caregiver status, and use of support services.
Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

Samarbeidspartnere og etterforskere

Det er her du vil finne personer og organisasjoner som er involvert i denne studien.

Samarbeidspartnere

Etterforskere

  • Hovedetterforsker: Julija Chichaeva, MHS, JAMK University Of Applied Sciences

Studierekorddatoer

Disse datoene sporer fremdriften for innsending av studieposter og sammendragsresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter og rapporterte resultater gjennomgås av National Library of Medicine (NLM) for å sikre at de oppfyller spesifikke kvalitetskontrollstandarder før de legges ut på det offentlige nettstedet.

Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Antatt)

7. september 2026

Primær fullføring (Antatt)

1. mars 2028

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

1. mars 2028

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

3. september 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

15. september 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

16. september 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

17. september 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

16. september 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. september 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Plan for individuelle deltakerdata (IPD)

Planlegger du å dele individuelle deltakerdata (IPD)?

JA

IPD-planbeskrivelse

Anonymised quantitative data will be archived, where applicable, in the Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD).

IPD-deling Støtteinformasjonstype

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SEVJE
  • ICF
  • CSR

Legemiddel- og utstyrsinformasjon, studiedokumenter

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert medikamentprodukt

Nei

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert enhetsprodukt

Nei

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