Exergame Study for Family Caregivers

Brandeis University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sedentary Lifestyle

Treatments: Behavioral: Social Exergame Treatment Group; Behavioral: Control Group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05032872

GoGrowExergrame #20104R

P30AG048785 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to examine Go&Grow as a social exergame intervention to increase physical activity and social support, to promote well-being in family caregivers, and to test social support and physical activity as mechanisms for the effects of the intervention.

Full description

The study is a 2-week baseline and 6-week intervention aimed at comparing the feasibility and efficacy of an exergame (Go&Grow without social contact components) and a social exergame (full version of Go&Grow) in promoting physical activity, social support, and well-being in family caregivers. The study also seeks to test social support and physical activity as mechanisms for the relationships between condition (exergame non-social vs social exergame) and wellbeing. Participants will be randomly assigned using a random assignment generator to either the control condition (exergame non-social) or the treatment condition (social exergame) on a rolling basis. Participants from both conditions will be reminded daily via app-based notifications during the intervention period to wear their Fitbit and to play the game.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants who are caregivers for a family member (e.g., relative, spouse, friend) who is 65 years or older and is either frail, has a disability, or has at least one chronic illness
• 40 years or older
• Own an Android smartphone with Google play store/internet access
• Able to walk for at least 20 minutes at a time
• Comfortable wearing a fitness tracker for the duration of the study
• Familiar with smartphone app usages
• Comfortable with using the study-related app for the duration of the study

Exclusion criteria

• Had a recent (within the past 6 months) cardiovascular event or fall.
• Currently participating in any other physical activity study/intervention
• Currently own or use a Fitbit or other activity tracking watches
• Knows someone who is participating or has participated in the study
• Currently physically active (exercise regularly 3 times a week or more for at least 30 minutes)
• More than 2 errors on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (Pfeiffer, 1975).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Social Exergame Treatment Group

Experimental group

Description:

The treatment group will wear a Fitbit step counter for 8 weeks. In addition, participants will use the full version of the Go\&Grow fitness app for 6 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Social Exergame Treatment Group

Control Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The control group will wear a Fitbit step counter for 8 weeks. In addition, participants will use the Go\&Grow fitness app without the social features for 6 weeks.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control Group