Improving Family Communication in Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Pilot Evaluation of ReFrame-R: A Communication Training to Reframe Older Adults' Family Roles and Promote Active Aging

This study evaluates the effectiveness of "ReFrame-R," a communication training program designed to help older adults in Hong Kong navigate intergenerational challenges. By focusing on enhancing communication competence and clarifying role boundaries within parent-child relationships, the research seeks to determine if this specialized intervention can improve the mental well-being of both older and younger generations. The study asks whether participating in the "ReFrame-R" curriculum leads to measurable improvements in how families interact, hypothesizing that older adults in the training group will demonstrate significantly better communication quality and a stronger sense of meaning compared to those in a control group. This study also aims to evaluate the program's overall feasibility and acceptability.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cantonese-speaking older adults
• have regular contact with adult children
• can comprehend traditional Chinese

Exclusion Criteria:

• known mental health diagnosis
• mild or higher depressive symptoms (scored ≥5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9; Kroenke et al., 2001; Manea et al., 2015])
• communication difficulties