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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Jan 24;19(1):22.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-019-1034-1.

Study protocol of a multi-center RCT testing a social-cognitive intervention to promote volunteering in older adults against an active control

Lisa M Warner  1 , Da Jiang  2 , Alice Ming-Lin Chong  3 , Tianyuan Li  2 , Julia K Wolff  4 , Kee-Lee Chou  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Study protocol of a multi-center RCT testing a social-cognitive intervention to promote volunteering in older adults against an active control

Lisa M Warner et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: Volunteering could be a win-win opportunity for older adults: Links between volunteering and societal improvements as well as older adults' own health and longevity are found in several observational studies. RCTs to increase volunteering in older adults are however sparse, leaving the question of causality unanswered. This study protocol describes a theory-based social-cognitive intervention with multiple behavior change techniques to increase volunteering among community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong.

Methods: In a parallel group, two-arm, randomized controlled trial, an initial N = 360 are assigned to receive either the volunteering intervention or the active control intervention (parallel content targeting physical activity). The primarily outcome measure is self-reported volunteering minutes per month at baseline, six weeks, three months and six months after the intervention. Participants in the treatment group are expected to increase their weekly volunteering minutes over time as compared to participants in the control group. Possible active ingredients of the intervention as well as mental and physical health outcomes of increased volunteering are investigated by means of mediation analyses.

Discussion: Like many industrialized nations, Hong Kong faces a rapid demographic change. An effective psychological intervention to encourage retirees to engage in formal volunteering would alleviate some of the societal challenges a growing proportion of older adults entails.

Trial registration: Primary Registry and Trial Identifying Number ChiCTR-IIC-17010349 , secondary CCRB trial number CUHK_CCRB00543, registration date 2016/12/28.

Keywords: Behavior change techniques; Older adults; Randomized-controlled trial; Study protocol; Theory-based social-cognitive intervention; Volunteering.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval for this RCT was obtained by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HREC number 2015–2016-0324). The study was prospectively registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of the Center for Clinical Research and Biostatistics (CCRB) recommended by the World Health Organization (Primary Registry and Trial Identifying Number ChiCTR-IIC-17010349, secondary CCRB trial number CUHK_CCRB00543). After having been informed about the study in written form and having had the opportunity to clarify any questions arising with the research team, participants signed the informed consent form, containing that they were fully informed about the purpose, procedures, risks and benefits of the study, that they understood the information, that their anonymized data may be used for research and publications, that they could withdraw at any time without negative consequences, and that their participation is voluntary.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

Prof. Keel-Lee Chou, the senior author of this study protocol and PI of the trial, is also a section editor for BMC Geriatrics, which might bear potential for a conflict of interest. Prof. Chou was, however, not involved in the journal’s editorial process of this study protocol. The authors declare that they have no further competing interests.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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