Psychological Well BeingFWNNCT07821970
Finding With Nature: A Study Testing Nature-Based Support for Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over
A study testing Finding with Nature Programme in people with Psychological Well Being and Psychological Flexibility, run by JAMK University Of Applied Sciences.
Trial summary
This research project investigates the effects of a nature-based programme (Finding with Nature, FWN), on psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness among older adults (65 and older) who provide care for their close one in Finland. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychological Well Being, Psychological Flexibility, Physical Functioning
- What is being tested?
- Finding with Nature Programme
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 350 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 7 Sep 2026to Mar 2028
- 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 65 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 65 years and older
- Providing care for a close one, formally or informally
- Able to communicate adequately in Finnish
- Willingness to commit to a 6-week intervention programme
Who cannot join
- -
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Finding With Nature: A Nature-Based Intervention for the Well-Being of Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial
This research project investigates the effects of a nature-based programme (Finding with Nature, FWN), on psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness among older adults (65 and older) who provide care for their close one in Finland. The FWN programme combines nature exposure, physical activity, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods. The effects of the FWN programme are studied in a randomised controlled trial. The psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness are investigated with self-report measures and analysed with quantitative methods. The results provide knowledge about the ability of nature-based, low-threshold methods to support older adults (65+) who provide care for their close one.
Read the detailed description
An intervention study in randomised control trial design will be conducted with a target sample of 350 participants living in Central Finland. After receiving information about the research and providing a written consent, participants answer a question of caregiver burden and indicate whether they would prefer to participate in the Finding with Nature (FWN) programme in face-to-face group meetings or individually via an interactive online platform. After that, the participants are randomly allocated to intervention and control groups which are balanced according to the caregiver burden. The participants in the intervention group will be offered a 6-week FWN programme either in a face-to-face group or individually online, according to their own preference. In the face-to-face group implementation, the FWN programme will be carried out by a trained facilitator with meetings once a week. In the online implementation, the FWN programme will be completed individually at their own pace via an interactive online platform. In both implementation formats, participants will complete independent tasks and have the opportunity to share their experiences with peers.
At the core of the FWN programme are facilitated nature-based, low-threshold exercises in six theme areas of the FWN programme (one theme for each week): 1) Introduction, personal situation, and starting points for change; 2) personally meaningful matters and values; 3) acceptance of emotions and confronting barriers; 4) listening to the body, meaningful movement, and natural settings; 5) mindfulness skills and everyday choices; and (6) self-concept, self-compassion, and self-awareness.
Participants respond to surveys at three measurement points: a pre-measurement at the start of the programme, a post-measurement at the end of the programme, and a follow-up measurement three months after the end of the programme. The participants in the intervention group are compared to the participants in the control group who continue life as usual and only respond to online surveys at three measurement points (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). The control group participants are offered a opportunity to participate in face-to-face group meetings or the online implementation of the FWN programme after the follow-up measurement.
This research is funded by the Health Promotion Grant (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, STM, va-thl-2025-1-80).
- Conditions
- Psychological Well Being, Psychological Flexibility, Physical Functioning, Burden, Caregiver, Natured-informed Therapy
- Being tested
- Finding with Nature Programme
- Keywords
- Nature-based intervention, Psychological well-being, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Older caregivers, Nature connectedness, Physical functioning
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being, Caregiver Burden
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Finding with Nature ProgrammeBehavioural
A 6-week nature-based program integrating physical activity in nature and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to promote well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness. Delivered either in face-to-face groups or via an online platform, including guided sessions, independent exercises, informational content, and opportunities for peer support.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Finding with Nature intervention | Experimental | Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will take part in a 6-week structured intervention program. Receives: Behavioral: Finding with Nature Programme |
| No intervention | No intervention | Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will continue their usual daily life without the study intervention during the 6-week follow-up period. After the follow-up, they will be offered the opportunity to participate in the intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Secondary outcomes (12)
Caregivers' perceived coping as caregivers: COPE Index
COPE Index evaluates the caregiver's subjective experience of strain, support, and quality of the caregiving relationship. 15-item scale, range 15-75; higher scores indicate greater caregiving burden.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Functioning: the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
A standardized assessment of functioning across multiple life domains. 12-item scale, range 0-48; higher scores indicate greater disability (worse functioning).
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) SCT4
Measure designed specifically for informal caregivers, focusing on social care-related quality of life. 8-item scale; higher scores indicate better social care-related quality of life.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Self-rated health: a single validated item
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature: short version of Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS)
Short version of the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS), 7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate greater connectedness to nature.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature and nature-related experiences: the Holistic Nature Experience measure
16-item scale, range 16-96; higher scores indicate more positive nature-related experiences.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Psychological flexibility: Comprehensive Assessment of ACT Processes (CompACT-10)
10-item scale, range 0-60; higher scores indicate greater psychological flexibility
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)
7-item scale, range 0-21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptoms
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Physical activity: International physical activity questionnaire -short form (IPAQ-SF)
International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF), 7-item questionnaire. Total physical activity is expressed as MET-minutes per week. The minimum value is 0 MET-minutes/week, with no fixed maximum value. Higher scores indicate higher levels of physical activity.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Restorative experiences: the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS)
6-item scale, range 6-42; higher scores indicate greater restorative experiences
Measured: Immediately before and after each of the six weekly intervention sessions during the 6-week intervention period.
Life-space mobility: the Life-Space Assessment (LSA)
Capture the spatial extent and frequency of participants' mobility in daily life, assessing mobility over the previous 4 weeks, range 0-120; higher scores indicate greater life-space mobility
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Engagement with natural and green environments
Assessed through questions on frequency, purpose, and patterns of nature visits.
Measured: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Sep 2026
- Study start7 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionMar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionMar 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Psychological Well BeingStudies 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
- 350 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- JAMK University Of Applied Sciences
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Jyvaskyla
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Julija Chichaeva, JAMK University Of Applied Sciences
- Investigators
- Julija Chichaeva, MHS, Principal investigator, JAMK University Of Applied Sciences
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07821970
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VA-THL-2025-1-80
- Acronym
- FWN
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 3 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 17 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Anonymised quantitative data will be archived, where applicable, in the Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD).
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Finding With Nature: A Nature-Based Intervention for the Well-Being of Family Caregivers Aged 65 and Over: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07821970
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FWN / VA-THL-2025-1-80
- Conditions
- Psychological Well Being, Psychological Flexibility, Physical Functioning, Burden, Caregiver, Natured-informed Therapy
- Keywords
- Nature-based intervention, Psychological well-being, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Older caregivers, Nature connectedness, Physical functioning
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 350 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- JAMK University Of Applied SciencesUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Jyvaskyla
- Study start
- 7 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Mar 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 16 Sep 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.
This research project investigates the effects of a nature-based programme (Finding with Nature, FWN), on psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness among older adults (65 and older) who provide care for their close one in Finland. The FWN programme combines nature exposure, physical activity, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods. The effects of the FWN programme are studied in a randomised controlled trial. The psychological well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness are investigated with self-report measures and analysed with quantitative methods. The results provide knowledge about the ability of nature-based, low-threshold methods to support older adults (65+) who provide care for their close one.
Detailed description
An intervention study in randomised control trial design will be conducted with a target sample of 350 participants living in Central Finland. After receiving information about the research and providing a written consent, participants answer a question of caregiver burden and indicate whether they would prefer to participate in the Finding with Nature (FWN) programme in face-to-face group meetings or individually via an interactive online platform. After that, the participants are randomly allocated to intervention and control groups which are balanced according to the caregiver burden. The participants in the intervention group will be offered a 6-week FWN programme either in a face-to-face group or individually online, according to their own preference. In the face-to-face group implementation, the FWN programme will be carried out by a trained facilitator with meetings once a week. In the online implementation, the FWN programme will be completed individually at their own pace via an interactive online platform. In both implementation formats, participants will complete independent tasks and have the opportunity to share their experiences with peers.
At the core of the FWN programme are facilitated nature-based, low-threshold exercises in six theme areas of the FWN programme (one theme for each week): 1) Introduction, personal situation, and starting points for change; 2) personally meaningful matters and values; 3) acceptance of emotions and confronting barriers; 4) listening to the body, meaningful movement, and natural settings; 5) mindfulness skills and everyday choices; and (6) self-concept, self-compassion, and self-awareness.
Participants respond to surveys at three measurement points: a pre-measurement at the start of the programme, a post-measurement at the end of the programme, and a follow-up measurement three months after the end of the programme. The participants in the intervention group are compared to the participants in the control group who continue life as usual and only respond to online surveys at three measurement points (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). The control group participants are offered a opportunity to participate in face-to-face group meetings or the online implementation of the FWN programme after the follow-up measurement.
This research is funded by the Health Promotion Grant (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, STM, va-thl-2025-1-80).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Finding with Nature intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Finding with Nature ProgrammeParticipants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will take part in a 6-week structured intervention program. |
| No intervention | No intervention | –Participants aged ≥65 years who are informal/family caregivers and living in Central Finland. Participants randomized to this arm will continue their usual daily life without the study intervention during the 6-week follow-up period. After the follow-up, they will be offered the opportunity to participate in the intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 65 years and older
- Providing care for a close one, formally or informally
- Able to communicate adequately in Finnish
- Willingness to commit to a 6-week intervention programme
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- -
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Finding with Nature ProgrammeA 6-week nature-based program integrating physical activity in nature and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to promote well-being, functioning, and nature connectedness. Delivered either in face-to-face groups or via an online platform, including guided sessions, independent exercises, informational content, and opportunities for peer support. | Behavioural | Finding with Nature intervention |
Primary outcome
Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
7-item scale, range 7-35; higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
12 secondary outcomes
Caregivers' perceived coping as caregivers: COPE Index
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Functioning: the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) SCT4
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Self-rated health: a single validated item
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature: short version of Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Connectedness to nature and nature-related experiences: the Holistic Nature Experience measure
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Psychological flexibility: Comprehensive Assessment of ACT Processes (CompACT-10)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Physical activity: International physical activity questionnaire -short form (IPAQ-SF)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Restorative experiences: the Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS)
Time frame: Immediately before and after each of the six weekly intervention sessions during the 6-week intervention period.
Life-space mobility: the Life-Space Assessment (LSA)
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Engagement with natural and green environments
Time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
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 17 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymised quantitative data will be archived, where applicable, in the Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD).
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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.
Julija Chichaeva, MHS principal investigator
JAMK University Of Applied Sciences
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Finding with Nature Programme in people with Psychological Well Being and Psychological Flexibility, run by JAMK University Of Applied Sciences.
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 4 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
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 Julija Chichaeva, MHS (+358504628081, julija.chichaeva@jamk.fi), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Psychological well-being: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS) (time frame: Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.). 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 17 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.