Clinical trial NCT02023632: GrOup-based Physical Activity for oLder Adults Trial
Official title: A Self-categorization Theory Approach to Fostering Physical Activity Adherence Among Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Motor Activity
Keywords: older adults
physical activity
self-categorization
group dynamics
self-identity
Lead sponsor: University of British Columbia
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
First posted: 2013-12-30
Enrollment: 554
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Regular physical activity is associated with a diverse range of physical and mental health outcomes, with the effects being particularly pronounced among older adults. Despite these health benefits, involvement in physical activity has been found to decline over the course of adulthood with older adults in particular risk of inactivity. A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that group-based settings that are sensitive to both the age-composition and gender-composition of their constituent members may represent an opportune means of supporting the improved adoption and maintenance of older adults in physical activity programs. The overall purpose of this feasibility trial is to test the effectiveness of a group-based physical activity program for older adults that is sensitive to both age-congruent and gender-congruent contextual factors, in supporting their sustained involvement in physical activity.

Detailed description: The results of prominent meta-analytic reviews suggest that when people exercise in groups they tend to sustain their involvement to a greater extent than when they exercise on their own. Despite the potential for groups to sustain long-term physical activity behaviours, there appears to be an important caveat that comes with exercising with others: if people perceive themselves to be similar to other members of a given group, in terms of salient underlying qualities, this corresponds positively with their attraction to, and level of involvement within, that group. If, however, people perceive themselves to be distinctly different from others within their social group, this is likely to undermine their attraction to, and involvement in that group. Recent research by Dr. Beauchamp and his team suggests that across the adult age spectrum people report a positive preference for exercising within groups that are comprised of others their own age, and when they participate in such classes they display higher levels of adherence to the group. In a similar regard, people report comparable positive preferences for same-gender rather than mixed-gender physical activity group settings. However, to date, research has yet to examine these effects using an experimental (RCT) design. This constitutes the purpose of this present trial.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants must be 65 years of age or older (both males and females), be able to speak and read English, and not experience any contraindication which might prevent that person from participating in moderate-intensity physical activity. Participants will be required to complete PAR-Q+, and where necessary ePARmed-X.

Exclusion Criteria:

* The only exclusionary criteria is that participants must be 65 years of age or older (both males and females), be able to speak and read English, and not experience any contraindication which might prevent that person from participating in moderate-intensity physical activity.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Program adherence and re-enrollment
timeFrame: Month 3 (May 2014;2015) and Month 6 (August 2014;2015)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in Cohesion
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 7, 12, 14, 19, 24
measure: Change in Affective and Instrumental Attitudes
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 7, 12, 14, 19, 24
measure: Physical Health Screening Measure
timeFrame: Prior to the start of the program (February 2014 and December 2014/January 2015)
measure: Change in Self-efficacy
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 7, 12, 14, 19, 24
measure: Change in Stigma Consciousness
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 7, 12, 14, 19, 24
measure: Change in Flourishing
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 7, 12, 14, 19, 24
measure: Change in Perceptual Similarity
timeFrame: Weeks 2, 14
measure: Change in commute time and commute mode
timeFrame: Weeks 2 and 14
measure: Change in Group-Interaction Variables
timeFrame: Weeks 7 and 19
measure: Change in Physical Activity Outside of the YMCA
timeFrame: Week 12, 24
measure: Change in Functional Fitness Appraisal
timeFrame: Prior to the start of the program (February 2014, January 2015) and after the end of the program (August 2014, 2015)
Other outcomes:
measure: Process Evaluation
timeFrame: After the end of the program (August 2014, 2015)
Locations:
city: Surrey
country: Canada
facility: Surrey Family YMCA
state: British Columbia
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: Langara YMCA
state: British Columbia
city: Vancouver
country: Canada
facility: Robert Lee YMCA
state: British Columbia
Study officials:
affiliation: University of British Columbia
name: Mark R Beauchamp, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Dunlop WL, Beauchamp MR. Birds of a feather stay active together: a case study of an all-male older adult exercise program. J Aging Phys Act. 2013 Apr;21(2):222-32. doi: 10.1123/japa.21.2.222. Epub 2012 Aug 14.
citation: Rikli RE, Jones CJ. Functional fitness normative scores for community-residing older adults, ages 60-94. Journal of aging and physical activity 7:162-181, 1999.
citation: Beauchamp M, Dunlop WL, Downey SM, Estabrooks PA. First impressions count: perceptions of surface-level and deep-level similarity within postnatal exercise classes and implications for program adherence. J Health Psychol. 2012 Jan;17(1):68-76. doi: 10.1177/1359105311408156. Epub 2011 Jun 6.
citation: Dunlop WL, Beauchamp MR. The relationship between intra-group age similarity and exercise adherence. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Jan;42(1):53-5. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.08.018.
citation: Beauchamp MR, Carron AV, McCutcheon S, Harper O. Older adults' preferences for exercising alone versus in groups: considering contextual congruence. Ann Behav Med. 2007 Apr;33(2):200-6. doi: 10.1007/BF02879901.
citation: Dunlop WL, Beauchamp MR. En-gendering choice: preferences for exercising in gender-segregated and gender-integrated groups and consideration of overweight status. Int J Behav Med. 2011 Sep;18(3):216-20. doi: 10.1007/s12529-010-9125-6.
citation: Shapcott KM, Carron AV, Burke SM, Bradshaw MH, Estabrooks PA.Member diversity and cohesion and performance in walking groups. Small Group Research 37, 701-730, 2006.
citation: Dunlop WL, Beauchamp MR. Does similarity make a difference? Predicting cohesion and attendance behaviors within exercise group settings. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice 15(3): 258-66, 2011.
citation: Beauchamp MR, Liu Y, Dunlop WL, Ruissen GR, Schmader T, Harden SM, Wolf SA, Puterman E, Sheel AW, Rhodes RE. Psychological mediators of exercise adherence among older adults in a group-based randomized trial. Health Psychol. 2021 Mar;40(3):166-177. doi: 10.1037/hea0001060.
citation: Beauchamp MR, Ruissen GR, Dunlop WL, Estabrooks PA, Harden SM, Wolf SA, Liu Y, Schmader T, Puterman E, Sheel AW, Rhodes RE. Group-based physical activity for older adults (GOAL) randomized controlled trial: Exercise adherence outcomes. Health Psychol. 2018 May;37(5):451-461. doi: 10.1037/hea0000615.
citation: Beauchamp MR, Harden SM, Wolf SA, Rhodes RE, Liu Y, Dunlop WL, Schmader T, Sheel AW, Zumbo BD, Estabrooks PA. GrOup based physical Activity for oLder adults (GOAL) randomized controlled trial: study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2015 Jun 27;15:592. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1909-9.