Social BehaviourNCT07720947
Smartphone-based Nature Noticing Intervention
A study testing Nature-noticing intervention in people with Social Behaviour, run by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
We used a mixed-methods approach involving a RCT study followed by focus group discussions to obtain a more integrative understanding of the effects of a 10-week nature-noticing intervention. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 15 to 17 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Behaviour
- What is being tested?
- Nature-noticing intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 127 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 10 Jan 2025to 20 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 15 to 17 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Hong Kong secondary school students
- 15-17 years
Who cannot join
- Students receiving intensive psychiatric treatment
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Smartphone-based Nature Noticing Intervention for Cultivating Social Connectedness
We used a mixed-methods approach involving a RCT study followed by focus group discussions to obtain a more integrative understanding of the effects of a 10-week nature-noticing intervention.
Read the detailed description
Initially, 127 students were recruited from a Hong Kong secondary school. Half of the students (n = 63) were randomly assigned to a 10-week intervention by the school teacher; the students' preferences did not affect the assignments. They were asked to take pictures of nearby nature and share the photos, along with their reflections on what they noticed, in the group chat twice a week for 10 weeks. The other half of the students (n = 64) were not assigned any tasks and served as the control group. Two participants who did not complete the baseline questionnaire were excluded. This resulted in 125 (98.4%) participants who were included in the analysis. Power analysis indicated that the minimum sample size of 54 participants was required for this study, with an alpha level of 0.05, a power of 0.95, and a small-to-medium effect of f(v) = 0.25. The students who more proactively engaged in the 10-week nature photo-taking and sharing were invited to the focus group discussion after the intervention. These participants shared their emotions and thoughts in detail, along with a wider variety of photographic topics, indicating more in-depth observations of their nearby nature. A total of nine participants took part in the discussion.
- Conditions
- Social Behaviour
- Being tested
- Nature-noticing intervention
- Keywords
- prosocial behaviour, social connectedness, adolescent
- Medical subject headings
- Social Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Nature-noticing interventionBehavioural
Participants were asked to notice nearby nature (i.e. 'anywhere with some nature'), to take a photo when they noticed a specific object or scene in nature evoked a strong emotion in them, and to write down thoughts and emotions twice a week for 10 weeks. Participants were further instructed that and upload it to the group chat along with a brief description of the emotions that were evoked.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| No-treatment control group | No intervention | Group who was not assigned any tasks |
| A 10-week nature-noticing intervention | Experimental | Group who asked to take pictures of nearby nature and share their thoughts on the group chat twice a week for 10 weeks Receives: Behavioral: Nature-noticing intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Prosocial behaviour
Participants' prosocial behaviour was measured using a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In the SDQ, prosocial behaviour is associated with individuals' ability to relate well with their peers and engage in actions that benefit those around them. Five items are measured on a 3-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not true) to 3 (certainly true). Higher scores indicate greater degrees of prosocial behaviour.
Measured: Baseline and 10 weeks
Secondary outcomes (4)
Social Connectedness
Social Connectedness Scale - Revised (SCS-R) measures the degree to which youth feel connected to others in their social environment. The SCS-R contains 20 items (10 positive and 10 negative) measured on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). The negatively worded items are reverse-scored, summed with the positive items and divided by 20 to obtain a total score. Higher scores indicated a greater sense of belonging, closeness and support.
Measured: Baseline and 10 weeks
Empathy
Interpersonal Reactivity Index (B-IRI) measures the degree to which individuals can empathise with others. Among the four sub-scales, empathic concern and perspective-taking were used to obtain the total IRI score [28]. The eight items were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (does not describe me well) to 5 (describes me very well). Higher scores indicate a greater sense of empathy.
Measured: Baseline and 10 weeks
Loneliness
The UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8) measures the severity of respondents' feelings of loneliness. The scale contains eight items measured on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (never) to 4 (often). Higher scores indicate a greater sense of loneliness.
Measured: Baseline and 10 weeks
Self-esteem
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) measures respondents' self-esteem. The RSES contains 10 items, which are measured on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).
Measured: Baseline and 10 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Jul 2026
- Study start10 Jan 2025
- Primary completion20 Jun 2025
- Study completion20 Dec 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Social BehaviourStudies 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 127 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, EUN YEONG CHOE, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
- Investigators
- Eun Yeong Choe, PhD, Principal investigator, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07720947
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CUHKShenzhen_3
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Jul 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 22 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Smartphone-based Nature Noticing Intervention for Cultivating Social Connectedness
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07720947
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CUHKShenzhen_3
- Conditions
- Social Behaviour
- Keywords
- prosocial behaviour, social connectedness, adolescent
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 127 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShenzhenUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 20 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Jul 2026 (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.
We used a mixed-methods approach involving a RCT study followed by focus group discussions to obtain a more integrative understanding of the effects of a 10-week nature-noticing intervention.
Detailed description
Initially, 127 students were recruited from a Hong Kong secondary school. Half of the students (n = 63) were randomly assigned to a 10-week intervention by the school teacher; the students' preferences did not affect the assignments. They were asked to take pictures of nearby nature and share the photos, along with their reflections on what they noticed, in the group chat twice a week for 10 weeks. The other half of the students (n = 64) were not assigned any tasks and served as the control group. Two participants who did not complete the baseline questionnaire were excluded. This resulted in 125 (98.4%) participants who were included in the analysis. Power analysis indicated that the minimum sample size of 54 participants was required for this study, with an alpha level of 0.05, a power of 0.95, and a small-to-medium effect of f(v) = 0.25. The students who more proactively engaged in the 10-week nature photo-taking and sharing were invited to the focus group discussion after the intervention. These participants shared their emotions and thoughts in detail, along with a wider variety of photographic topics, indicating more in-depth observations of their nearby nature. A total of nine participants took part in the discussion.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| No-treatment control group | No intervention | –Group who was not assigned any tasks |
| A 10-week nature-noticing intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Nature-noticing interventionGroup who asked to take pictures of nearby nature and share their thoughts on the group chat twice a week for 10 weeks |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 15 to 17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Hong Kong secondary school students
- 15-17 years
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Students receiving intensive psychiatric treatment
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nature-noticing interventionParticipants were asked to notice nearby nature (i.e. 'anywhere with some nature'), to take a photo when they noticed a specific object or scene in nature evoked a strong emotion in them, and to write down thoughts and emotions twice a week for 10 weeks. Participants were further instructed that and upload it to the group chat along with a brief description of the emotions that were evoked. | Behavioural | A 10-week nature-noticing intervention |
Primary outcome
Prosocial behaviour
Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks
Participants' prosocial behaviour was measured using a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In the SDQ, prosocial behaviour is associated with individuals' ability to relate well with their peers and engage in actions that benefit those around them. Five items are measured on a 3-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not true) to 3 (certainly true). Higher scores indicate greater degrees of prosocial behaviour.
4 secondary outcomes
Social Connectedness
Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks
Empathy
Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks
Loneliness
Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks
Self-esteem
Time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 Jul 2026.
Related trials for Social Behaviour
Active, not recruiting
Mindfulness-Based Nutrition Group Therapy as an Adjunct to GLP-1 Treatment of Obesity
Obesity & Overweight, Emotional Eating Behaviour
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Exploration of Acceptability of Alcohol Interventions
Alcohol Misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder
Not yet recruiting
The Effect of Social Media Support on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours
Social Media in Developing Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours in Pregnant Women
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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Eun Yeong Choe, PhD principal investigator
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Nature-noticing intervention in people with Social Behaviour, run by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 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 2 inclusion and 1 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Jul 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Prosocial behaviour (time frame: Baseline and 10 weeks). 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 22 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.