Well-Being, PsychologicalNCT06581952
Chinese Poem Writing for Improving Mental Wellbeing
A study testing Poem writing in people with Well-Being, Psychological and Happiness, run by Hong Kong Metropolitan University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong. The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Well-Being, Psychological, Happiness
- What is being tested?
- Poem writing
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 13 Jun 2024to 31 Mar 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Volunteers serving for people recovering from mental illness or other community residents
- Aged 18 years old and above
- Able to understand Cantonese and read Chinese
Who cannot join
- Physically or mentally unable to communicate
- Unwilling to participate or give consent
- Being involved in other similar activities or research
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Hong Kong
Agnes Lai, PhD, (852) 39702917, ayklai@hkmu.edu.hk
About this study
Official title: Chinese Poem Writing for Improving Mental Wellbeing of Adult Volunteers Serving for People Recovering From Mental Illness
This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong. The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing, each lasting for 3 hours, led by experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors. The themes of the poems will focus on accomplishment, joy, and gratitude. The primary outcomes are mental well-being and happiness, measured using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and a single-item happiness scale. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, retention rate, and acceptability of the interventions. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety, interest in poem writing, perceived benefits after the activity, and the number of successfully written poems. The proposal also includes plans for in-depth interviews with participants to gather qualitative data. The results will be analyzed descriptively and narratively, with no efficacy statistical tests due to the nature of this feasibility study. The proposal highlights the potential of poem writing as a therapeutic tool for volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness, enhancing their overall well-being.
Read the detailed description
This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong.The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing, each lasting for 3 hours, led by experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors. The themes of the poems will focus on accomplishment, joy, and gratitude.
The primary outcomes are mental well-being and happiness, measured using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and a single-item happiness scale. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, retention rate, and acceptability of the interventions. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety, interest in poem writing, perceived benefits after the activity, and the number of successfully written poems.
Moreover, the proposal includes plans for in-depth interviews with participants to gather qualitative data. The results will be analyzed descriptively and narratively, with no efficacy statistical tests due to the nature of this feasibility study.
Apart from that, the process evaluation will be done by the instructors after the end of the second class, including the teachers, speakers and the leaders of each group. This act aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using the app in creating and writing poems, as well as the feelings after class on the instructors. An evaluation analysis will be made after the collection of data.
The proposal underscores the potential of poem writing as a therapeutic tool for volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness, enhancing their overall well-being. Poem writing not only allows volunteers to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, but also enhances their self-esteem by validating their feelings and providing a sense of accomplishment. Volunteers working with individuals recovering from mental illness often encounter intense emotions. Writing poems allows them to channel these emotions constructively, preventing burnout and fostering resilience. Furthermore, the act of creating poems can be joyful and fulfilling. Volunteers experience a sense of flow, where time seems to disappear as they immerse themselves in the creative process. Lastly, incorporating poem writing into volunteer programs can be a powerful tool for enhancing both the volunteers' and the patients' well-being, self-esteem, and emotional resilience. Volunteers can find solace, connection, and purpose through their poetic expressions, ultimately benefiting both themselves and the individuals they serve.
- Conditions
- Well-Being, Psychological, Happiness
- Being tested
- Poem writing
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Poem writingBehavioural
The poem themes will focus on accomplishment moments, joyful moments, and gratitude. Participants will be motivated to write at least one poem in each session. The instructor will lead the participants to improve the poem after the participants complete the first draft. The participants will be encouraged to perform in reading their completed poem, sharing their feelings and expressing the meaning of the poems during the session.
In the second session, participants will be invited to do a poem reading performance using one of their newly written poems.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Two poem writing sessions | Experimental | The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing. Each session lasts for 3 hours. The instructors for each session will include two experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors from Bestreben Drama Association Limited. Adherence to the protocol will be evaluated by two independent reviewers. Receives: Behavioral: Poem writing |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in well-being
The 7-item Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale with the 5-point Likert scale ("1" means "None of the time", while "5" means "All the time") will be used to measure participants' well-being. The score is calculated by summing up all seven items and with a range of 7 to 35. A higher score indicates a higher positive mental well-being.
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in happiness
Happiness of participants across four timeslots were measured by a single item question, which was "How happy do you think you are" (from "0" = "Not at all" to "10" = "very happy").
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (6)
Changes in depressive symptoms
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 will be used to measure depressive symptoms among all participants. Participants rate the frequency of nine symptoms over the past two weeks on a 4-point Likert scale (from "0" = "Not at all" to "3" = "Nearly every day"). The total score ranges from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating a greater severity of depressive symptoms.
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived knowledge about limericks (Chinese poem)
The changes in participants' perceived knowledge about limericks (Chinese poem) were measured by a single item question, which was "How much do you know about limericks", scoring from "0" (very little understanding) to "10" (very much understanding).
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived interest in limericks writing
The changes in participants' perceived interest in limericks writing were measured by a single item question, which was "How interested are you in limerick writing?", scoring from "0" (very little interest) to "10" (very much interest).
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived confidence in limericks writing
The changes in participants' perceived confidence in limericks writing were measured by a single item question, which was "How confident are you in writing limerick?", scoring from "0" (very little confidence) to "10" (very much confidence).
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived usefulness of limericks writing
The changes in participants' perceived usefulness of limericks writing were measured by three aspects, which were "improving happiness", "improving accomplishment" and "developing new hobbies", all of them were scoring from "0 " (very little help) to "10" (very much help).
Measured: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
The number of successfully written poems
The actual number of successfully written poems will be reported subjectively by participants.
Measured: 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Sep 2024
- Study start13 Jun 2024
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Well-Being, PsychologicalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Bestreben Drama Association Limited
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr Agnes LAI Yuen Kwan, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- Investigators
- Agnes YK Lai, Principal investigator, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06581952
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HE-SF2024/19
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 13 Jun 2024
- Last updated
- 13 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Chinese Poem Writing for Improving Mental Wellbeing of Adult Volunteers Serving for People Recovering From Mental Illness
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06581952
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HE-SF2024/19
- Conditions
- Well-Being, Psychological, Happiness
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong Metropolitan UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Bestreben Drama Association Limited
- Study start
- 13 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong. The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing, each lasting for 3 hours, led by experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors. The themes of the poems will focus on accomplishment, joy, and gratitude. The primary outcomes are mental well-being and happiness, measured using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and a single-item happiness scale. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, retention rate, and acceptability of the interventions. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety, interest in poem writing, perceived benefits after the activity, and the number of successfully written poems. The proposal also includes plans for in-depth interviews with participants to gather qualitative data. The results will be analyzed descriptively and narratively, with no efficacy statistical tests due to the nature of this feasibility study. The proposal highlights the potential of poem writing as a therapeutic tool for volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness, enhancing their overall well-being.
Detailed description
This research proposal aims to explore the impact of poem writing on the well-being of adult volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness in Hong Kong.The research design was a single-arm intervention study with 30 participants. The intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing, each lasting for 3 hours, led by experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors. The themes of the poems will focus on accomplishment, joy, and gratitude.
The primary outcomes are mental well-being and happiness, measured using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and a single-item happiness scale. Feasibility outcomes include recruitment rate, retention rate, and acceptability of the interventions. Secondary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety, interest in poem writing, perceived benefits after the activity, and the number of successfully written poems.
Moreover, the proposal includes plans for in-depth interviews with participants to gather qualitative data. The results will be analyzed descriptively and narratively, with no efficacy statistical tests due to the nature of this feasibility study.
Apart from that, the process evaluation will be done by the instructors after the end of the second class, including the teachers, speakers and the leaders of each group. This act aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using the app in creating and writing poems, as well as the feelings after class on the instructors. An evaluation analysis will be made after the collection of data.
The proposal underscores the potential of poem writing as a therapeutic tool for volunteers serving patients recovering from mental illness, enhancing their overall well-being. Poem writing not only allows volunteers to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, but also enhances their self-esteem by validating their feelings and providing a sense of accomplishment. Volunteers working with individuals recovering from mental illness often encounter intense emotions. Writing poems allows them to channel these emotions constructively, preventing burnout and fostering resilience. Furthermore, the act of creating poems can be joyful and fulfilling. Volunteers experience a sense of flow, where time seems to disappear as they immerse themselves in the creative process. Lastly, incorporating poem writing into volunteer programs can be a powerful tool for enhancing both the volunteers' and the patients' well-being, self-esteem, and emotional resilience. Volunteers can find solace, connection, and purpose through their poetic expressions, ultimately benefiting both themselves and the individuals they serve.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Two poem writing sessions | Experimental | Behavioral: Poem writingThe intervention consists of two sessions of poem writing. Each session lasts for 3 hours. The instructors for each session will include two experienced Chinese teachers or drama directors from Bestreben Drama Association Limited. Adherence to the protocol will be evaluated by two independent reviewers. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Volunteers serving for people recovering from mental illness or other community residents
- Aged 18 years old and above
- Able to understand Cantonese and read Chinese
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Physically or mentally unable to communicate
- Unwilling to participate or give consent
- Being involved in other similar activities or research
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Poem writingThe poem themes will focus on accomplishment moments, joyful moments, and gratitude. Participants will be motivated to write at least one poem in each session. The instructor will lead the participants to improve the poem after the participants complete the first draft. The participants will be encouraged to perform in reading their completed poem, sharing their feelings and expressing the meaning of the poems during the session. In the second session, participants will be invited to do a poem reading performance using one of their newly written poems. | Behavioural | Two poem writing sessions |
Primary outcome
Changes in well-being
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
The 7-item Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale with the 5-point Likert scale ("1" means "None of the time", while "5" means "All the time") will be used to measure participants' well-being. The score is calculated by summing up all seven items and with a range of 7 to 35. A higher score indicates a higher positive mental well-being.
Changes in happiness
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Happiness of participants across four timeslots were measured by a single item question, which was "How happy do you think you are" (from "0" = "Not at all" to "10" = "very happy").
6 secondary outcomes
Changes in depressive symptoms
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived knowledge about limericks (Chinese poem)
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived interest in limericks writing
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived confidence in limericks writing
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Changes in perceived usefulness of limericks writing
Time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
The number of successfully written poems
Time frame: 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Mar 2026.
Related trials for Well-Being, Psychological
Recruiting
Effect of a Brief Daily Digital Meditation on Well-Being in US Young Adults (BEGIN II)
Mental Health and General Well-being
Active, not recruiting
Intervention to Address Disparate Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 Pandemic on Latinx and African Newcomers
Mental Health Issue, Mental Health Disorder
Not yet recruiting
REM Enhancement Sleep Technology for Well-being, Emotion, and Life Lift
Healthy Adult Participants
Recruiting
Effects of Red Panax Ginseng Supplementation on Cognitive Performance and Emotional Well-Being in Young Healthy Adults
Mental Acuity
Recruiting
Trial Phase: Syndemic Adapted Medly Uganda
Mental Health
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Agnes YK Lai principal investigator
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Poem writing in people with Well-Being, Psychological and Happiness, run by Hong Kong Metropolitan University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Agnes Lai, PhD ((852) 39702917, ayklai@hkmu.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Changes in well-being (time frame: Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Mar 2026.