Effect of a social intervention of choice vs. control on depressive symptoms, melancholy, feeling of loneliness, and perceived togetherness in older Finnish people: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The intervention did not alleviate depressed mood. Positive changes over time were observed in loneliness, feelings of melancholy, attachment, and guidance but these occurred independently of the intervention. Our secondary analysis suggests that the intervention increased perceived social integration. In sum, the effects of the intervention were moderate only and did not expedite further overcoming depressive mood or loneliness.

Addressing Social Isolation To Improve the Health of Older Adults: A Rapid Review

“…After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included 16 studies 34-49 -9 from systematic reviews 34-37, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46 and 7 from primary study searches. 38,40,43,44,[47][48][49] Of the 16 included studies (7 randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 38, 44-49 8 pre-post, [34][35][36][37][39][40][41][42] and 1 cross sectional with a post-test survey 43 ) including 17,656 patients, 5 involved physical activity interventions, [45][46][47][48][49] 5 involved social interventions, 35, 40-42, 44 4 involved arts and recreation-based interventions, 34,[36][37][38] and 2 involved improving health services access. 39, Figure 2.…”

“…Of the 16 studies aimed at reducing social isolation or a related construct, 34-49 4 40, 44, 45, 48 (3 RCT, 1 pre-post) demonstrated measurable improvement in loneliness, social capital, or social participation; 6 34,36,38,42,46,47 (3 RCTs and 3 pre-post) had no significant effect on loneliness, social support, or social networks; and 6 35,37,39,41,43,49 (1 RCT, 4 pre-post, and 1 cross-sectional) did not report an effect or the effect could not be determined. Five (2 RCTs 46, 48 and 3 pre-post 36, 39, 42 ) of 16 studies reported improvements in health outcomes, including quality of life, frailty, depression, diet, functionality, stress, and chronic pain.…”

“…To better understand how the characteristics of these interventions might be contributing to effects, we compared each of the good-and fair-quality studies in terms of intervention duration and intensity, and whether a health care provider, lay person, or peer delivered the intervention, and then compared these to whether there was an effect on either a social isolation construct or health outcomes (Appendix E). Of the four fair-or good-quality studies [45][46][47][48] that had a positive impact on either health or social isolation outcomes, three had a health care professional involved in the delivery (including a physical and leisure activity intervention delivered by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and public health nurse; a tai chi intervention in which a nurse and social worker trained peer ambassadors to support older people in the intervention; and a facilitated group discussion intervention delivered by National Health Service and social care staff who were supervised by an occupational therapist). Of the same four studies, three were high intensity, meeting more than once a week.…”

Associations between the dimensions of perceived togetherness, loneliness, and depressive symptoms among older Finnish people

“…Thus, for the present exploratory analyses the social intervention group comprised 104 and the self-directed group 118 participants. The sampling procedure and study design have been described in more detail elsewhere (Pynnonen et al, 2016).…”

“…This article reports an exploratory observational analysis of data collected as part of a randomized controlled trial that targeted community-dwelling older people who reported negative mood or loneliness at study entry (GoodMood; ISRCTN78426775) (Pynnonen, Tormakangas, Rantanen, Tiikkainen, & Kallinen, 2016). The objective of the study was to investigate longitudinal associations of the six dimensions of perceived togetherness with depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness.…”