Horticultural TherapyNCT07826013
The Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life
A study testing Horticultural Therapy Practice Group in people with Horticultural Therapy, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of a horticultural therapy program on anxiety levels in older adults and to evaluate the impact of this therapy on quality of life. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study using a pre-test-post-test design. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Horticultural Therapy
- What is being tested?
- Horticultural Therapy Practice Group
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 56 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2025to 30 Aug 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 60 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Volunteer to participate in horticultural therapy activities.
Who cannot join
- People with an acute illness or a severe physical disability.
- Those who are reluctant to participate in horticultural therapy.
- Individuals who are unable to participate regularly in the program.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Older Adults
The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of a horticultural therapy program on anxiety levels in older adults and to evaluate the impact of this therapy on quality of life. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study using a pre-test-post-test design.
Research Hypotheses Hypothesis 1: Horticultural therapy reduces anxiety levels in older adults. Hypothesis 2: Horticultural therapy improves the overall quality of life in older adults.
Read the detailed description
Participants in the intervention and control groups were administered a pretest consisting of the Demographic Information Form, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Geriatric Anxiety Scale. In the study, older adults in the intervention group participated in gardening activities once a week on Wednesdays throughout the week, under the guidance of an expert academic in the field. No intervention was applied to the control group, which continued with its routine activities. In accordance with the horticultural therapy protocol, academic support and guidance were sought from Prof. Dr. Hakan Yıldırım, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, regarding the organization and preparation of the planting area and the implementation of gardening activities for the intervention group. In this study, the horticultural therapy program was implemented not as a psychotherapeutic intervention but as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention based on the literature, involving structured plant planting, care, and gardening activities.
- Conditions
- Horticultural Therapy
- Being tested
- Horticultural Therapy Practice Group
- Keywords
- Older Adults, Anxiety, Quality of Life
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Horticultural Therapy Practice GroupBehavioural
The Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Older Adults
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Horticultural Therapy Practice Group | Experimental | In the study, the older adults in the intervention group participated in gardening activities once a week on Wednesdays for 12 weeks, under the guidance of an academic expert in the field. Receives: Behavioral: Horticultural Therapy Practice Group |
| Control group | No intervention | No intervention was performed on the control group, which continued its routine activities. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS)
A 30-item self-report scale developed to assess symptoms of anxiety in older adults, comprising somatic, cognitive, and affective subdimensions.Although there is no reverse scoring on the scale, each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 3. The items on the scale are scored on a 4-point Likert scale as "Never (0)," "Sometimes (1)," "Most of the time (2)," and "Always (3)." Somatic (physical) subscale-1, 6, 7, 15, 19, 20, 21 (9 items); Cognitive Subscale-2, 3, 10, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23 (8 items); Mood Subscale-4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18 (8 items). For the total score, only the scores of the first 23 items are summed; the scale ranges from a low score of 0 to a high score of 69. According to the scale results, a high score indicates a high level of anxiety.
Measured: Week 0
Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS)
A 30-item self-report scale developed to assess symptoms of anxiety in older adults, comprising somatic, cognitive, and affective subdimensions.Although there is no reverse scoring on the scale, each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 3. The items on the scale are scored on a 4-point Likert scale as "Never (0)," "Sometimes (1)," "Most of the time (2)," and "Always (3)." Somatic (physical) subscale-1, 6, 7, 15, 19, 20, 21 (9 items); Cognitive Subscale-2, 3, 10, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23 (8 items); Mood Subscale-4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18 (8 items). For the total score, only the scores of the first 23 items are summed; the scale ranges from a low score of 0 to a high score of 69. According to the scale results, a high score indicates a high level of anxiety.
Measured: Week 12
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Short Form-Turkish Version (WHOQOL-BREF-TR)
Developed by the World Health Organization, this scale is a comprehensive measure that assesses the well-being of older adults and enables cross-cultural comparisons. The WHOQOL-BREF scale consists of a total of 26 questions, including two questions-one regarding overall perceived quality of life and the other regarding perceived health status-and is composed of four main domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental. While the scale does not have an overall total score, each section and domain is scored on a scale of up to 20 points or 100 points.
Measured: Week 0
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Short Form-Turkish Version (WHOQOL-BREF-TR)
Developed by the World Health Organization, this scale is a comprehensive measure that assesses the well-being of older adults and enables cross-cultural comparisons. The WHOQOL-BREF scale consists of a total of 26 questions, including two questions-one regarding overall perceived quality of life and the other regarding perceived health status-and is composed of four main domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental. While the scale does not have an overall total score, each section and domain is scored on a scale of up to 20 points or 100 points.
Measured: Week 12
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Sep 2026
- Study start1 Mar 2025
- Primary completion30 Aug 2025
- Study completion30 Aug 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Horticultural TherapyStudies 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Demet Ünlü, Hasan Kalyoncu University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07826013
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HasanKU-001
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Older Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07826013
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HasanKU-001
- Conditions
- Horticultural Therapy
- Keywords
- Older Adults, Anxiety, Quality of Life
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Aug 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Sep 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 purpose of the study is to examine the effects of a horticultural therapy program on anxiety levels in older adults and to evaluate the impact of this therapy on quality of life. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study using a pre-test-post-test design.
Research Hypotheses Hypothesis 1: Horticultural therapy reduces anxiety levels in older adults. Hypothesis 2: Horticultural therapy improves the overall quality of life in older adults.
Detailed description
Participants in the intervention and control groups were administered a pretest consisting of the Demographic Information Form, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Geriatric Anxiety Scale. In the study, older adults in the intervention group participated in gardening activities once a week on Wednesdays throughout the week, under the guidance of an expert academic in the field. No intervention was applied to the control group, which continued with its routine activities. In accordance with the horticultural therapy protocol, academic support and guidance were sought from Prof. Dr. Hakan Yıldırım, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, regarding the organization and preparation of the planting area and the implementation of gardening activities for the intervention group. In this study, the horticultural therapy program was implemented not as a psychotherapeutic intervention but as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention based on the literature, involving structured plant planting, care, and gardening activities.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Horticultural Therapy Practice Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Horticultural Therapy Practice GroupIn the study, the older adults in the intervention group participated in gardening activities once a week on Wednesdays for 12 weeks, under the guidance of an academic expert in the field. |
| Control group | No intervention | –No intervention was performed on the control group, which continued its routine activities. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Volunteer to participate in horticultural therapy activities.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- People with an acute illness or a severe physical disability.
- Those who are reluctant to participate in horticultural therapy.
- Individuals who are unable to participate regularly in the program.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Horticultural Therapy Practice GroupThe Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life in Older Adults | Behavioural | Horticultural Therapy Practice Group |
Primary outcome
Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS)
Time frame: Week 0
A 30-item self-report scale developed to assess symptoms of anxiety in older adults, comprising somatic, cognitive, and affective subdimensions.Although there is no reverse scoring on the scale, each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 3. The items on the scale are scored on a 4-point Likert scale as "Never (0)," "Sometimes (1)," "Most of the time (2)," and "Always (3)." Somatic (physical) subscale-1, 6, 7, 15, 19, 20, 21 (9 items); Cognitive Subscale-2, 3, 10, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23 (8 items); Mood Subscale-4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18 (8 items). For the total score, only the scores of the first 23 items are summed; the scale ranges from a low score of 0 to a high score of 69. According to the scale results, a high score indicates a high level of anxiety.
Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS)
Time frame: Week 12
A 30-item self-report scale developed to assess symptoms of anxiety in older adults, comprising somatic, cognitive, and affective subdimensions.Although there is no reverse scoring on the scale, each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 3. The items on the scale are scored on a 4-point Likert scale as "Never (0)," "Sometimes (1)," "Most of the time (2)," and "Always (3)." Somatic (physical) subscale-1, 6, 7, 15, 19, 20, 21 (9 items); Cognitive Subscale-2, 3, 10, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23 (8 items); Mood Subscale-4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 18 (8 items). For the total score, only the scores of the first 23 items are summed; the scale ranges from a low score of 0 to a high score of 69. According to the scale results, a high score indicates a high level of anxiety.
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Short Form-Turkish Version (WHOQOL-BREF-TR)
Time frame: Week 0
Developed by the World Health Organization, this scale is a comprehensive measure that assesses the well-being of older adults and enables cross-cultural comparisons. The WHOQOL-BREF scale consists of a total of 26 questions, including two questions-one regarding overall perceived quality of life and the other regarding perceived health status-and is composed of four main domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental. While the scale does not have an overall total score, each section and domain is scored on a scale of up to 20 points or 100 points.
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Short Form-Turkish Version (WHOQOL-BREF-TR)
Time frame: Week 12
Developed by the World Health Organization, this scale is a comprehensive measure that assesses the well-being of older adults and enables cross-cultural comparisons. The WHOQOL-BREF scale consists of a total of 26 questions, including two questions-one regarding overall perceived quality of life and the other regarding perceived health status-and is composed of four main domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental. While the scale does not have an overall total score, each section and domain is scored on a scale of up to 20 points or 100 points.
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 22 Sep 2026.
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Horticultural Therapy Practice Group in people with Horticultural Therapy, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 3 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 22 Sep 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) (time frame: Week 0). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. 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 22 Sep 2026.