Elderly MigrantsNCT07160803
Migrant Elderly's Social Network Use Intervention: An Activity Theory-Based Study
A study testing Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory and Routine community activities only in people with Elderly Migrants and Social Networks, run by Huzhou University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study aims to construct a social network usage intervention program tailored to the characteristics of mobile elderly people, verify its effectiveness, and provide a reference for expanding the field of community care services, bridging the digital divide among mobile elderly people, and promoting their move… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 55 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Elderly Migrants, Social Networks
- What is being tested?
- Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory and Routine community activities only
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 61 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2024to 12 Jan 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 55 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- ① Females aged ≥ 55 years or males aged ≥ 60 years; ② Having resided for more than half a year; ③ Having agreed to participate in this study and signed the informed consent form.
Who cannot join
- ① Elderly individuals with mental illness or cognitive impairment; ② Those with severe language communication barriers.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Research on the Status and Strategies of Migrant Elderly for Social Network Software Use From the Activity Theory
This study aims to construct a social network usage intervention program tailored to the characteristics of mobile elderly people, verify its effectiveness, and provide a reference for expanding the field of community care services, bridging the digital divide among mobile elderly people, and promoting their move towards healthy aging.
Read the detailed description
This study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, recruiting migrant elderly from a community in Huzhou City as participants. They were randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group. The control group (n=30) received routine social activities, with compensatory intervention provided after the experiment. The intervention group (n=31) underwent a scientifically valid and operationally feasible practical intervention program, which was developed based on the questionnaire survey method, experimental method, and semi-structured interview method, guided by the Activity Theory, and lasted for 12 weeks.
Before the intervention, after 12 weeks of intervention, and one month after the intervention concluded, standardized scales were used to assess the levels of proactive social network use, basic psychological needs, social isolation, and e-health literacy, respectively. For data analysis, independent-samples t-tests and Spearman correlation analysis were performed based on data distribution patterns and homogeneity of variance, while multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. Inter-group comparisons post-intervention utilized two independent-samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests, whereas intra-group comparisons employed paired-samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The significance level was set at α=0.05.
- Conditions
- Elderly Migrants, Social Networks
- Being tested
- Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory, Routine community activities only
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity TheoryOther
The intervention program is structured around a three - phase framework for migrant elderly's social network use: ① triggering motivation and building basic capabilities; ② reinforcing motivation and enhancing advanced capabilities; ③ sustaining motivation and maintaining usage habits. The process involves assessing baseline status (via scales like ASNSUS, eHEALS), implementing phased interventions (teaching WeChat skills, facilitating social connections), and evaluating effectiveness (process and outcome evaluations). The 12 - week program is executed by a team including researchers, community workers, and elderly volunteers.
Routine community activities onlyOther
After receiving regular community services and management, and understanding the overall situation and needs of the intervention targets, researchers and community managers will conduct a weekly health lecture, an offline social activity involving local elderly people (such as fitness, cultural and entertainment activities, etc.), or a lecture on policies and welfare related to migrant elderly people, etc., and regularly distribute relevant paper materials.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Community Activities+Intervention Program for Social Network Usage Based on Activity Theory | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory |
| Routine community activities only | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Other: Routine community activities only |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Active Social Network Sites Use Scale(ASNSUS)
It consists of 4 items, which are answered in a self-report format and scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale assesses the frequency with which individuals update statuses, post photos, leave comments, and initiate messages on social networking sites. It has been validated that the Cronbach's alpha of this scale is 0.71. In the present study, the Cronbach's alpha of this scale was 0.72.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
Secondary outcomes (3)
Lubben-6 Scale
This scale was developed by American scholar Lubben [80] in 2006. It includes two dimensions: family and friends, with a total of 6 items, using a 5-point Likert scale. If the total score is lower than 12 points, it indicates the existence of social isolation. The lower the score, the greater the risk of social isolation faced by the individual. This scale is currently the most widely used tool for measuring social isolation in the elderly. Its applicability has been verified by many domestic scholars [81], with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. In this study, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of this scale is 0.80.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
Basic Psychological Needs Scale, BPNS
Sheldon et al. developed this scale in 2006, which was later revised in Chinese and verified to be applicable to the elderly population. The revised scale consists of nine items, divided into three subscales: autonomy needs, competence needs, and relatedness needs. A 5-point Likert scale is used, where a higher score indicates a higher level of need satisfaction. It has been verified that the Cronbach's alpha coefficient is 0.90. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of this scale is 0.88.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
eHealth Literacy Scale, (eHEALS)
The eHEALS scale, designed by scholar Norman and others, aims to quantify an individual's skill level in obtaining and applying online health information. In 2013, Guo Shuaijun and others introduced it into China. The Chinese version is a single-dimensional scale. The eHEALS consists of 8 items, and a higher score indicates a higher level of an individual's eHealth literacy. The scale has been tested by many scholars and proven to be applicable to the elderly population, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.98. In this study, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient is 0.85.
Measured: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Sep 2025
- Study start1 Oct 2024
- Primary completion31 Dec 2024
- Study completion12 Jan 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Elderly MigrantsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants were randomized into two parallel groups (intervention vs control). The intervention group received a 12-week social network usage program based on Activity Theory, while the control group participated in routine social activities and received the compensatory intervention after the study. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention (12 weeks), and 1-month follow-up.
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 61 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Huzhou University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Huang Riyu, Huzhou University
- Investigators
- Meijuan Cao, Study director, Huzhou University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07160803
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Huzhou University
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 29 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 8 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Research on the Status and Strategies of Migrant Elderly for Social Network Software Use From the Activity Theory
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07160803
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Huzhou University
- Conditions
- Elderly Migrants, Social Networks
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 61 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Huzhou UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 12 Jan 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 8 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to construct a social network usage intervention program tailored to the characteristics of mobile elderly people, verify its effectiveness, and provide a reference for expanding the field of community care services, bridging the digital divide among mobile elderly people, and promoting their move towards healthy aging.
Detailed description
This study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, recruiting migrant elderly from a community in Huzhou City as participants. They were randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group. The control group (n=30) received routine social activities, with compensatory intervention provided after the experiment. The intervention group (n=31) underwent a scientifically valid and operationally feasible practical intervention program, which was developed based on the questionnaire survey method, experimental method, and semi-structured interview method, guided by the Activity Theory, and lasted for 12 weeks.
Before the intervention, after 12 weeks of intervention, and one month after the intervention concluded, standardized scales were used to assess the levels of proactive social network use, basic psychological needs, social isolation, and e-health literacy, respectively. For data analysis, independent-samples t-tests and Spearman correlation analysis were performed based on data distribution patterns and homogeneity of variance, while multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. Inter-group comparisons post-intervention utilized two independent-samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests, whereas intra-group comparisons employed paired-samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The significance level was set at α=0.05.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants were randomized into two parallel groups (intervention vs control). The intervention group received a 12-week social network usage program based on Activity Theory, while the control group participated in routine social activities and received the compensatory intervention after the study. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention (12 weeks), and 1-month follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Community Activities+Intervention Program for Social Network Usage Based on Activity Theory | Experimental | Other: Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory |
| Routine community activities only | Active comparator | Other: Routine community activities only |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 55 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- ① Females aged ≥ 55 years or males aged ≥ 60 years; ② Having resided for more than half a year; ③ Having agreed to participate in this study and signed the informed consent form.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- ① Elderly individuals with mental illness or cognitive impairment; ② Those with severe language communication barriers.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity TheoryThe intervention program is structured around a three - phase framework for migrant elderly's social network use: ① triggering motivation and building basic capabilities; ② reinforcing motivation and enhancing advanced capabilities; ③ sustaining motivation and maintaining usage habits. The process involves assessing baseline status (via scales like ASNSUS, eHEALS), implementing phased interventions (teaching WeChat skills, facilitating social connections), and evaluating effectiveness (process and outcome evaluations). The 12 - week program is executed by a team including researchers, community workers, and elderly volunteers. | Other | Routine Community Activities+Intervention Program for Social Network Usage Based on Activity Theory |
| Routine community activities onlyAfter receiving regular community services and management, and understanding the overall situation and needs of the intervention targets, researchers and community managers will conduct a weekly health lecture, an offline social activity involving local elderly people (such as fitness, cultural and entertainment activities, etc.), or a lecture on policies and welfare related to migrant elderly people, etc., and regularly distribute relevant paper materials. | Other | Routine community activities only |
Primary outcome
Active Social Network Sites Use Scale(ASNSUS)
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
It consists of 4 items, which are answered in a self-report format and scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale assesses the frequency with which individuals update statuses, post photos, leave comments, and initiate messages on social networking sites. It has been validated that the Cronbach's alpha of this scale is 0.71. In the present study, the Cronbach's alpha of this scale was 0.72.
3 secondary outcomes
Lubben-6 Scale
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
Basic Psychological Needs Scale, BPNS
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
eHealth Literacy Scale, (eHEALS)
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Sep 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Meijuan Cao study director
Huzhou University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Intervention Program for Social Network Use Based on Activity Theory and Routine community activities only in people with Elderly Migrants and Social Networks, run by Huzhou University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Active Social Network Sites Use Scale(ASNSUS) (time frame: Baseline, immediately after the end of the intervention (Week 12), 1 month after the end of the intervention (Week 16)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Sep 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 31 Oct 2026.