NCT05295108

Caring Connections: A Program to Alleviate Social Isolation and Loneliness in Individuals Living With Spinal Cord Injury

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 62 (actual)
• Sponsor: Chicago Association for Research and Education in Science · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will use a randomized controlled design with an active attention control group to evaluate an intervention intended to reduce social isolation and loneliness in persons with SCI/D. The intervention, Caring Connections, is a peer-based intervention which is important because peers with SCI/D play an important role in improving quality of life, mental health, and social health in persons with SCI/D.

Detailed description

The overall study objective is to conduct and evaluate a fully powered randomized control trial (RCT) to assess changes in loneliness and social isolation outcomes between the Caring Connections intervention and attention control condition in community-dwelling individuals with SCI/D. The Caring Connections intervention (described in detail below) is a peer-based, facilitated, letter writing program designed to provide feelings of social connectedness and moments of positivity to reduce loneliness and social isolation in persons with SCI/D.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCI/D)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Caring Connections	peer-based letter writing social connectedness intervention to improve social health outcomes
OTHER	Attention control	informational materials provided to educate on life domains that are important to social health

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-06-22
• Primary completion: 2024-08-21
• Completion: 2025-01-01
• First posted: 2022-03-24
• Last updated: 2025-02-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States