Promoting Mental and Cognitive Health in Old Age Through Scalable Evidence-based Interventions

Summary

Mental and cognitive health are key determinants of healthy and successful aging. These two domains are closely intertwined: while chronic stress can impair cognitive functioning, cognitive decline may in turn heighten stress and reduce overall well-being in older adults. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness and scalability of a multidomain intervention to support mental and cognitive health in older adults. A single-blind, randomized, controlled 2×2 factorial trial will be conducted with a large sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in the German- and French-speaking regions of Switzerland. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four intervention arms: (1) WHO Self-Help Plus stress management training (SH+), (2) multidomain cognitive training focused on lifestyle and behavior change (COG), (3) a combined SH+ and COG intervention (SH+/COG), or (4) an active control group (CG) involving podcast listening and discussion. All interventions will include in-person group sessions, while the SH+, COG, and SH+/COG arms additionally offer a digital platform for self-guided home training. Primary outcomes (mental and cognitive health), secondary outcomes and moderators (cognitive functioning, stigma, self-efficacy, self-concept, loneliness, digital literacy, cognitive reserve, sociodemographic variables) will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (10 weeks), and at 2- and 6-month follow-ups through a self-administered ambulatory assessment.

Conditions

• Well-Being, Psychological
• Cognition
• Ageing

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Stress management training

The stress management training is the WHO SH+ (Self-Help Plus) program, a low-intensity, group-based intervention developed by the World Health Organization to improve stress management and psychological flexibility. It combines pre-recorded audio sessions with an illustrated self-help guide and is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The program is delivered over five sessions and supported by a digital platform for at-home practice.

BEHAVIORAL

Multidomain cognitive training

The multidomain cognitive training is a low-intensity, group-based intervention aimed at sustainably improving a healthy lifestyle, which in turn supports brain health and cognitive functioning. It combines pre-recorded audio sessions with an illustrated self-help guide and provides knowledge about aging and how to enhance three key lifestyle factors-social engagement, physical activity, and cognitive stimulation. The training uses metacognitive strategies and monitoring tools to help participants sustainably integrate these behaviors into their daily lives. The program is delivered over five sessions and supported by a digital platform for at-home practice.

BEHAVIORAL

Social activities

The social activity intervention consists of a podcast discussion group in which participants listen to short podcasts on aging-related topics during each group session. Topics include driving (Session 1), intergenerational relationships (Session 2), technology (Session 3), the transition to retirement (Session 4), and travel (Session 5). These themes are deliberately chosen to be neutral and are not directly related to the techniques or content used to enhance well-being or cognitive functioning in the SH+ or COG interventions. The program is delivered over five sessions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Geneva, Switzerland

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2028-06-30

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations