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Culturally Familiar Nostalgic VR Cognitive Training for Older Adults

NCT06973551 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 64

Last updated 2026-04-21

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of a nostalgia-based cognitive training intervention delivered via Virtual Reality (VR) on emotional well-being and cognitive functioning among community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) in northern Taiwan, specifically targeting those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia. The study, conducted at National Taiwan Normal University, aims to assess whether engaging older adults in nostalgic VR experiences can enhance nostalgia proneness, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being, while also reducing depressive symptoms and improving cognitive functions.

Participants who meet inclusion criteria (aged 65+, capable of communicating in Mandarin or Taiwanese, without severe psychiatric conditions, with sufficient vision/hearing) will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group receiving the "Brain Health Nostalgic VR Program" or a control group engaged in routine weekly activities. Each session, scheduled twice weekly, spans 25-35 minutes in total, including setup, support, and breaks, while the actual VR usage time is 15-25 minutes depending on individual tolerance. Research staff will provide close support and safety monitoring during all sessions.

Pre- and post-intervention outcomes will be measured using standardized assessments: Southampton Nostalgia Scale (SNS), Short-Form Life Satisfaction Index (LSI-SF), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), Short-Form Chinese version of Ryff's Psychological Well-being Scale (PWB-18), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Taiwan Version (MoCA-T). The study emphasizes participant safety and data confidentiality throughout its duration. Findings aim to demonstrate VR's potential as a non-invasive, preventive strategy for cognitive decline and mental health enhancement among older populations.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Brain Health Nostalgic VR Program

The "Brain Health Nostalgic VR Program" is a culturally tailored virtual reality intervention integrating nostalgic content from Taiwanese culture (e.g., vintage photographs, familiar objects, historical TV clips, traditional settings) with interactive cognitive training tasks. The program targets seven cognitive domains: attention, imagination and creativity, observation, memory, reasoning, reading comprehension, and thinking. Each session spans 25-35 minutes, with 15-25 minutes of actual VR use based on participant tolerance, each participant will use VR for no more than 30 minutes per session before taking a break. Participants receive 12 sessions, scheduled in principle twice weekly. The intervention is delivered individually at the participant's day-care center, with researcher support provided throughout.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Taiwan Normal University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Jong-Long Guo, PhD · National Taiwan Normal University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-04-29
Primary Completion
2026-02-10
Completion
2026-03-30

Countries

  • Taiwan

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06973551 on ClinicalTrials.gov