A Scalable Model for Promoting Functioning and Well-Being Among Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment Via Meaningful Social Interactions: Project SPEAK!
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
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.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
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 Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Other: Intervention Participants will be paired with an English language learner and engage in 8 weeks, 1 hour videoconferencing sessions. |
Other: Intervention (videoconferencing)
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. |
Other: Intervention (videoconferencing)
1 hour videoconferencing sessions over 8 weeks with an English language learner partner.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- The primary outcome will be a measure of participant recruitment. [Baseline (Up to approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes over the course of two meetings).]
Recruitment rates will be tracked by research staff overall, and within subgroups according to key predictors such as demographics and cognitive functioning.
Other Outcome Measures
- Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWB) [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.
- UCLA Revised Loneliness Scale [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.
- Geriatric Depression Scale [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.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
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.
English Language Learner participant --
Inclusion Criteria:
-
18+ years of age 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.
-
basic ability to understand and speak English.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex | Ann Arbor | Michigan | United States | 48109 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Michigan
- National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: John D Piette, PhD, University of Michigan
Study Documents (Full-Text)
More Information
Publications
None provided.- 1R21AG066644
- 5R21AG066644-02