Stress (Psychology)NCT07570498
Strengthening the Parent-Child Relationship Through Urban Nature
A study testing Outdoor activity in people with Stress (Psychology), run by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
The study uses an experimental design (RCT) to estimate the causal impact of nature-based activities on the parent-child relationship and children's emotional regulation without random assignment. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Stress (Psychology)
- What is being tested?
- Outdoor activity
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 30 Sep 2025to 30 Dec 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 Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Low-income families
Who cannot join
- Severe physical and mental conditions
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The study uses an experimental design (RCT) to estimate the causal impact of nature-based activities on the parent-child relationship and children's emotional regulation without random assignment. After consenting to participate, all students were asked to complete a questionnaire containing questions from six validated scales to measure baseline social health and well-being conditions. i.e. Nature Connection Index (NCI), Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS), Child-parent relationship scale (CPRS), and Children's Emotion Management Scale (CEMS). For the intervention group, 50 low-income families will be invited to experience touching the lawn barefoot and lying down to relax. Participants will also engage in nature-based games to enhance their well-being, increase creativity, and improve mood. Additionally, collective nature-inspired music and jamming activities will facilitate social bonding and encourage community interaction, while supporting participants in forming habits of connecting with nature in daily life for sustainable overall well-being. The families in the control group were not asked any specific tasks during the period. After completing the nature-based activity, participants will be asked to complete the initial questionnaire again.
Considering the importance of a connection with nature in early childhood and throughout life, this study attempts to explore how nature-based activities enhance family relationships and children's emotional management.
Read the detailed description
Study site:
We selected communities in Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai (part of Yuen Long), and Tuen Mun due to their low socio-economic status and high child poverty rates. These areas have constantly high number of reported child abuse cases in the past ten years where Tuen Mun was the top in 2016. Moreover, the three communities all have large public parks which are ideal locations to provide exposure to nature settings as well as accessible for the families to join the activities. In this study, the families can develop a habit of spending regular time in their neighbourhood parks in the future.
Target population:
The target groups include low-income families with young children, families of SEN children, single-parent families, families with poor parenting skills or other families in need. We will partner with local NGOs to recruit these families in need. Priority will be given to low-income families supported by the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme of The Student Finance Office, as well as families receiving CSSA. In the meantime, our public education resources will also benefit teachers and social workers from NGO service units or kindergartens as they utilize the tools to carry out Nature Healing activities with their users. Family members of stressed families will also directly benefit, as the improved well-being of one member leads to more harmonious family relationships. As families share their experiences, neighbours and friends can indirectly benefit and may potentially be recruited to become new participants in the programme. A total of 100 low-income families will be recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group (50 families per group). All participants will be required to provide informed consent before taking part in the study.
Procedure:
The experimental procedure was explained to potential participants in a recruitment email, which required them to provide informed consent before participating. After consenting, all parents will be asked to complete a baseline questionnaire comprising items from four validated scales to assess family relationships and emotional health.
- Intervention Group: The 50 families assigned to the intervention group will be invited to engage in nature-based activities, including: touching the lawn barefoot, lying down to relax, participating in nature-based games to enhance well-being, increase creativity, and improve mood. Further, collective nature-inspired music and jamming activities will be to facilitate social bonding and encourage community interaction.
- Control Group: The 50 families assigned to the control group will not be asked to perform any specific tasks during the study period.
After completing the nature-based activities, participants in the intervention group will be asked to complete the same questionnaire again for post-intervention assessment.
Data analysis:
A repeated measures analysis of covariance will assess the fidelity with which results in changes in family relationship and emotional health during the intervention. Paired samples t-tests will be used to further investigate differences within each group. An intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis will be performed on outcomes in which all participants are included with drop-outs assigned a follow-up value at baseline. All analyses will be performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics v. 27.0 software.
The questionnaire, participant information sheet and consent form are attached.
- Conditions
- Stress (Psychology)
- Being tested
- Outdoor activity
- Keywords
- Stress
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Outdoor activityBehavioural
Experience touching the lawn barefoot and lying down to relax.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor activity group | Experimental | Participants are asked to attend one day outdoor activity in urban park. Receives: Behavioral: Outdoor activity |
| Control | No intervention | Participants in the control group are not asked to attend specific activities. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Child-parent relationship scale (CPRS)
The quality of the parent-child relationship was assessed using the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS). The CPRS is a 15-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure parents' perceptions of their relationship with their child aged 3-12 years. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (definitely does not apply) to 5 (definitely applies). A higher Closeness score (8 items) combined with a lower Conflict score (7 items) reflects a healthier parent-child relationship.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Children's Emotion Management Scale (CEMS)
The CEMS is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess how children manage their emotions in response to three specific emotions: sadness, anger, and worry. Items are rated on a 3-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (hardly ever) to 3 (often). Higher scores reflect more adaptive emotion regulation.
Measured: The same time with the primary measurement
Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
The SWEMWBS is a 7-item self-report measure developed as a shortened version of the original 14-item Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). It was designed to enable the monitoring of mental well-being in the general population. The SWEMWBS is scored by first summing the scores for each of the seven items (each scored 1 to 5), resulting in a total raw score ranging from 7 to 35, where higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
Measured: The same time with primary measure
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 May 2026
- Study start30 Sep 2025
- Primary completion31 Oct 2025
- Study completion30 Dec 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Stress (Psychology)Studies 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, EUN YEONG CHOE, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
- Investigators
- Eun Yeong Choe, PhD, Principal investigator, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07570498
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CUHKShenzhen_1
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 12 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- 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 12 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Strengthening the Parent-Child Relationship Through Urban Nature
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07570498
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CUHKShenzhen_1
- Conditions
- Stress (Psychology)
- Keywords
- Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShenzhenUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 May 2026 (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.
The study uses an experimental design (RCT) to estimate the causal impact of nature-based activities on the parent-child relationship and children's emotional regulation without random assignment. After consenting to participate, all students were asked to complete a questionnaire containing questions from six validated scales to measure baseline social health and well-being conditions. i.e. Nature Connection Index (NCI), Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS), Child-parent relationship scale (CPRS), and Children's Emotion Management Scale (CEMS). For the intervention group, 50 low-income families will be invited to experience touching the lawn barefoot and lying down to relax. Participants will also engage in nature-based games to enhance their well-being, increase creativity, and improve mood. Additionally, collective nature-inspired music and jamming activities will facilitate social bonding and encourage community interaction, while supporting participants in forming habits of connecting with nature in daily life for sustainable overall well-being. The families in the control group were not asked any specific tasks during the period. After completing the nature-based activity, participants will be asked to complete the initial questionnaire again.
Considering the importance of a connection with nature in early childhood and throughout life, this study attempts to explore how nature-based activities enhance family relationships and children's emotional management.
Detailed description
Study site:
We selected communities in Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai (part of Yuen Long), and Tuen Mun due to their low socio-economic status and high child poverty rates. These areas have constantly high number of reported child abuse cases in the past ten years where Tuen Mun was the top in 2016. Moreover, the three communities all have large public parks which are ideal locations to provide exposure to nature settings as well as accessible for the families to join the activities. In this study, the families can develop a habit of spending regular time in their neighbourhood parks in the future.
Target population:
The target groups include low-income families with young children, families of SEN children, single-parent families, families with poor parenting skills or other families in need. We will partner with local NGOs to recruit these families in need. Priority will be given to low-income families supported by the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme of The Student Finance Office, as well as families receiving CSSA. In the meantime, our public education resources will also benefit teachers and social workers from NGO service units or kindergartens as they utilize the tools to carry out Nature Healing activities with their users. Family members of stressed families will also directly benefit, as the improved well-being of one member leads to more harmonious family relationships. As families share their experiences, neighbours and friends can indirectly benefit and may potentially be recruited to become new participants in the programme. A total of 100 low-income families will be recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group (50 families per group). All participants will be required to provide informed consent before taking part in the study.
Procedure:
The experimental procedure was explained to potential participants in a recruitment email, which required them to provide informed consent before participating. After consenting, all parents will be asked to complete a baseline questionnaire comprising items from four validated scales to assess family relationships and emotional health.
- Intervention Group: The 50 families assigned to the intervention group will be invited to engage in nature-based activities, including: touching the lawn barefoot, lying down to relax, participating in nature-based games to enhance well-being, increase creativity, and improve mood. Further, collective nature-inspired music and jamming activities will be to facilitate social bonding and encourage community interaction.
- Control Group: The 50 families assigned to the control group will not be asked to perform any specific tasks during the study period.
After completing the nature-based activities, participants in the intervention group will be asked to complete the same questionnaire again for post-intervention assessment.
Data analysis:
A repeated measures analysis of covariance will assess the fidelity with which results in changes in family relationship and emotional health during the intervention. Paired samples t-tests will be used to further investigate differences within each group. An intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis will be performed on outcomes in which all participants are included with drop-outs assigned a follow-up value at baseline. All analyses will be performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics v. 27.0 software.
The questionnaire, participant information sheet and consent form are attached.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor activity group | Experimental | Behavioral: Outdoor activityParticipants are asked to attend one day outdoor activity in urban park. |
| Control | No intervention | –Participants in the control group are not asked to attend specific activities. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Low-income families
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Severe physical and mental conditions
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor activityExperience touching the lawn barefoot and lying down to relax. | Behavioural | Outdoor activity group |
Primary outcome
Child-parent relationship scale (CPRS)
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 weeks
The quality of the parent-child relationship was assessed using the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS). The CPRS is a 15-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure parents' perceptions of their relationship with their child aged 3-12 years. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (definitely does not apply) to 5 (definitely applies). A higher Closeness score (8 items) combined with a lower Conflict score (7 items) reflects a healthier parent-child relationship.
2 secondary outcomes
Children's Emotion Management Scale (CEMS)
Time frame: The same time with the primary measurement
Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
Time frame: The same time with primary measure
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 12 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Eun Yeong Choe, PhD principal investigator
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Outdoor activity in people with Stress (Psychology), run by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen at 1 site in Hong Kong.
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 12 May 2026. 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 Hong Kong. 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?
Child-parent relationship scale (CPRS) (time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 2 weeks). 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 12 May 2026.