Remote Interactive Intervention for Loneliness

The Effectiveness of Remote Interactive Intervention for Loneliness, Quality of Life, and Social Support Among Seniors in Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Experiment

Background:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world adopted the practice of physical distancing, which increased the loneliness experienced by seniors and indirectly affected their quality of life and social support. Remote interaction through online social apps may be the safest and easiest way to address these problems. However, the empirical research on this issue is very limited.

Objective:

This study investigated the impact of a 12-week remote interaction intervention on loneliness, quality of life, and social support for seniors living in a community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

This study adopted a randomized controlled trial design and was conducted in communities in central Taiwan. Participants in the intervention group received a 12-week bidirectional remote interaction intervention, while participants in the control group received a 12-week unidirectional remote interaction intervention. The study's primary assessment tools were the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). The secondary assessment tool was the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants had to satisfy several inclusion requirements. They had to (1) be seniors aged 65 years or older; (2) be able to communicate in Mandarin and Taiwanese; (3) have an MMSE score higher than 20 20 (following Chiang et al., 2010); (4) be able to use a smartphone; and (5) have no previous psychiatric diagnosis.

Exclusion Criteria:

• The study excluded (1) those who were unable to understand how to use Line or YouTube; (2) participants in the experimental group who did not fully participate in the 12-week intervention (at least three days of interaction per week); (3) those who were unable to understand the content of the questionnaire or cooperate with those assigned to help them fill it in; and (4) those who had a major illness or surgery such as a fracture within the last three months.