Community Discussions and Social Participation

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Community Engagement; Social Connectedness; Physical Wellbeing

Treatments: Behavioral: Virtual Community Intervention; Behavioral: Control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07013357

856943

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates a virtual program designed to boost the physical well-being goals, civic engagement, social connection, and anxiety of U.S. adults.

Full description

This single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial aims to develop a virtual intervention designed to support US adults who wish to work with others to achieve physical wellbeing goals, improve social connectedness, promote community engagement, and reduce anxiety. Research coordinators randomize 10 participants to facilitator-led intervention sessions, and 10 to self-run discussion sessions by assigning random computer generated codes, sorting in ascending order, and alternating "control" and "experimental" assignments. This project is funded by the Annenberg Endowment of the Division of Communication Science.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age: 18 years or older
• Residency: Must live in a U.S. state (including D.C. and U.S. territories)
• Technology access: Reliable internet, a webcam, and Zoom capability in a private space
• Language: Able to read and speak English (all materials and sessions are in English)

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to provide informed consent
• Under 18 years of age
• Not living in the U.S.
• Lack of reliable access to the required technology (e.g., internet-connected device)
• Unable to read and understand English at the level required for full participation in the study activities

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention sessions along with GROV engagement

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the experimental group will attend three highly structured Virtual intervention sessions, hosted on Zoom and facilitated by trained research team members. They will also be encouraged to sign up for GROV after completing the baseline and are expected to engage with the GROV platform throughout the study period. The GROV platform will serve as a digital community space for ongoing interaction and discussion.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual Community Intervention

Self-help sessions without GROV engagement

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will attend loosely structured, self-run, virtual group self-help sessions at the same time and duration as intervention sessions. No discussion on the GROV platform for the control group.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control