Digital Intervention for Loneliness in Aging Adults

(Dynamo Trial)

Overseen By Lorenzo Pasquini, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

Disqualifiers: Severe psychiatric, neurological, systemic, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

75 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a digital meditation app to assess its impact on the emotional well-being of older adults experiencing loneliness. Researchers aim to understand how meditation might alter brain activity and stress responses, using tools like EEG and fMRI (types of brain scans). Participants will use the app daily for six weeks, with some starting after a waitlist period. The trial seeks individuals aged 60 or older who do not currently meditate regularly and have no major cognitive issues, such as dementia.

As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on meditation and emotional well-being.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this digital meditation intervention is safe for aging adults?

Research shows that digital meditation apps are generally safe for users. Studies have found that these apps can reduce feelings of loneliness and improve social interactions without causing significant side effects. One study of a similar meditation app on smartphones reported benefits such as reduced burnout and did not find any major negative effects.

As a digital tool, it poses no physical risks like those associated with medication. The focus on mindfulness and meditation is something most people handle well. Overall, many have used digital meditation apps successfully without serious safety issues. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the digital meditation app for addressing loneliness in aging adults because it offers a novel, accessible approach compared to traditional methods like therapy or medication. Unlike other treatments that might require face-to-face interaction or regular prescription use, this intervention leverages technology, allowing individuals to engage with it conveniently from home. Additionally, by using meditation to potentially affect brain function, it aims to address loneliness on a physiological level, which is a unique mechanism not typically targeted by standard care options. This trial could reveal new insights into how digital interventions can effectively mitigate loneliness, providing a scalable solution that can reach a wide audience.

What evidence suggests that this trial's digital meditation intervention could be effective for loneliness in aging adults?

This trial will evaluate a digital meditation program designed to reduce loneliness in aging adults. Research has shown that mindfulness training, included in the digital meditation program for this trial, can reduce feelings of loneliness by 22% and enhance social connections. Studies have also found that mindfulness and positive thinking exercises can improve mood and mental sharpness in older adults. A recent study showed that a smartphone-based mindfulness program helped people feel less lonely and increased their social interactions. Additionally, meditation apps, which are very popular, have been found to slightly reduce depression and anxiety. Overall, digital meditation appears promising for improving emotional health in lonely older adults. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Lorenzo Pasquini, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking older adults who are 65 or above, have little to no experience with meditation, and are cognitively healthy without major systemic diseases. They must not be active meditators, taking psychotropic drugs, or have severe psychiatric conditions. Also excluded are those with MRI contraindications like metal implants.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 60 years old or older.

English language fluency

I do not have any cognitive health issues like dementia or stroke.

Exclusion Criteria

Contraindications for MR safety (e.g. metal in body, cochlear implants)

Claustrophobia

I am younger than 60 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants engage with the digital meditation app for 15 minutes a day, five days a week for 6 weeks

6 weeks

Remote engagement with app

Waitlist Control

Participants in the waitlist control group do not receive the intervention for the first 6 weeks

6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in emotional well-being, loneliness, anxiety, stress, and depression after completing the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Active placebo
• Intervention

Trial Overview The study tests a digital meditation app's effect on the emotional well-being of lonely aging adults using neuroimaging and autonomic physiology to see how their brains respond. Participants will either be placed in a waitlist control group or receive the intervention.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will engage with the digital meditation app delivering the intervention 15 min a day, five days, a week for 6 weeks.

Group II: Baseline physiology Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A subset of participants will not participate in the intervention. Only baseline fMRI and EEG data will be collected in these participants.

Group III: waitlist control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be randomized to a waitlist group for six weeks. The waitlist control group will then be able to use the meditation app for six weeks as the primary intervention group

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,636

Recruited

19,080,000+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a pilot trial involving 83 older adults, the Tech Allies program, which provided tablets and training, significantly increased technology use among participants, although it did not lead to a reduction in loneliness.

Participants in the intervention group reported marginal improvements in social support and technology confidence, suggesting that while technology can enhance connectivity, it may not directly alleviate feelings of loneliness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

In-Home Technology Training Among Socially Isolated Older Adults: Findings From the Tech Allies Program. Fields, J., Cemballi, AG., Michalec, C., et al.[2022]

The ALONE scale is a reliable and valid tool for screening severe loneliness in older adults, showing a strong correlation with the established UCLA-20 Loneliness Questionnaire in a study of 199 ambulatory clinic participants.

With a test-retest reliability score of 0.89, the ALONE scale is easy to administer in clinical settings, making it a practical option for healthcare providers to identify loneliness among older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Validation of the ALONE Scale: A Clinical Measure of Loneliness. Deol, ES., Yamashita, K., Elliott, S., et al.[2022]

A customized meditation program significantly reduced loneliness and improved wellbeing, life satisfaction, and contentment among 166 retired South Asian older adults over a 2-year period, with very high effect sizes (Cohen's d range = 2.43-8.78).

Regular home practice of meditation was identified as the strongest predictor of positive outcomes, explaining 17% of the variation in results, highlighting the importance of consistent engagement in the program.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meditation program mitigates loneliness and promotes wellbeing, life satisfaction and contentment among retired older adults: a two-year follow-up study in four South Asian cities. Pandya, SP.[2021]

Older adults who are persistently lonely are more likely to live alone, be widowed, and report poorer health and perceived control over their lives, compared to those who are persistently not lonely.

Perceived control over social needs is a key predictor of changes in loneliness, suggesting that interventions focusing on enhancing individuals' sense of control may help prevent loneliness in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Predicting stability and change in loneliness in later life. Newall, NE., Chipperfield, JG., Bailis, DS.[2019]

The DELONELINESS study aims to explore the psychological experiences of loneliness in older adults through semi-structured interviews with up to 60 participants aged 65 and older, which will help inform the development of sensor-based technologies to detect loneliness.

The study has received ethical approval from King's College London and the University of Sussex, ensuring that participants' rights and well-being are protected while their insights contribute to improving technology for health aging.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life: qualitative protocol to inform technology development. Rees, J., Liu, W., Ourselin, S., et al.[2023]

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) significantly reduced feelings of loneliness in participants, with a notable improvement observed in a pooled analysis of three trials involving 815 participants, particularly using the UCLA-Loneliness Scale.

Despite the positive outcomes, the overall quality of evidence was rated low, indicating that while MBIs can help alleviate loneliness, further research is needed to strengthen the findings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Mindfulness Help to Alleviate Loneliness? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Teoh, SL., Letchumanan, V., Lee, LH.[2021]

A standardized one-on-one mindfulness meditation program consisting of six weekly sessions showed positive effects on participants' mindful awareness and nonjudgment, as well as a reduction in perceived stress and negative affect, with no adverse events reported.

The intervention was well-received, as indicated by increased perceived credibility, although it did not significantly change positive affect, suggesting areas for further research on different formats and participant preferences.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

One-on-one Mindfulness Meditation Trainings in a Research Setting. Wahbeh, H., Lane, JB., Goodrich, E., et al.[2021]

A smartphone-based mindfulness intervention that included both monitoring and acceptance skills significantly reduced loneliness by 22% and increased daily social interactions among 153 participants.

The study demonstrated that acceptance skills are crucial for improving social relationships, as removing these skills from the intervention eliminated the benefits of reduced loneliness and increased social contact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness training reduces loneliness and increases social contact in a randomized controlled trial. Lindsay, EK., Young, S., Brown, KW., et al.[2020]

In a study involving 371 participants, 64% were older adults (65 years or older), but only 20% completed the onboarding process for a mobile social gaming app, indicating significant dropout during recruitment due to barriers like the high number of questions.

Participants reported that the games fostered social connections and suggested that future interventions should prioritize enjoyment and engagement over extensive questionnaires, highlighting the need for personal interaction to improve adherence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Digital Gaming Intervention to Strengthen the Social Networks of Older Dutch Adults: Mixed Methods Process Evaluation of a Digitally Conducted Randomized Controlled Trial. Janssen, J., Châtel, B., Den Heijer, N., et al.[2023]

A systematic review of six randomized controlled trials involving 391 older adults found that technology-based interventions, such as smartphone video calls and computer training, did not significantly reduce loneliness compared to control groups, with a standardized mean difference of -0.08.

The quality of the studies varied, with three rated as low-quality and three as moderate-quality, indicating that more rigorous research is needed to determine the effectiveness of technology in alleviating loneliness among older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effectiveness of Technology-Based Interventions for Reducing Loneliness in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Jin, W., Liu, Y., Yuan, S., et al.[2021]

The Loneliness Inventory for Older Adults was developed through a rigorous two-phase process, resulting in a final questionnaire of 29 items that effectively measures loneliness across five factors.

The instrument demonstrated excellent reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.94 and an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.97, indicating it is a consistent and stable tool for assessing loneliness in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and psychometric evaluation of the loneliness inventory for older adults (Lonely): A mixed-methods study. Bandari, R., Mohammadi Shahboulaghi, F., Khankeh, H., et al.[2022]

A 9-week online mindfulness-based meditation program (Integral Meditation) significantly improved mental wellbeing and reduced anxiety in healthy adults with higher baseline trait anxiety, as shown by self-reported questionnaires.

The study involved 84 participants divided into treated and control groups, and while the program was effective for those with higher anxiety, it did not significantly impact perceived stress levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Online Short-Term Mindfulness-Based Intervention During COVID-19 Quarantine in Italy: Effects on Wellbeing, Stress, and Anxiety. Fazia, T., Bubbico, F., Nova, A., et al.[2022]

Citations

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Digital Intervention for Loneliness in Aging Adults Research shows that mindfulness training, which is part of the digital meditation intervention, can reduce loneliness by 22% and increase social contact, ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12462116/

Development of a (digital) mindfulness-informed intervention ... Mindfulness and Positive Psychology interventions have proven effective in enhancing psychosocial well-being and cognitive abilities among older ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782925000570

Digital bridges to social connection: A systematic review ... This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the impact of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on digital interventions to reduce loneliness and social ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12333550/

The Meditation App Revolution - PMC - PubMed Central - NIH Meditation apps have rapidly grown, with over 2,500 launched between 2015-2020, and have shown modest reductions in depression and anxiety.

5. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2025.2506774?src=

A pilot randomized mobile health mindfulness intervention ... A recent study demonstrated the efficacy of a 14-session smartphone-based mindfulness training for reducing loneliness and increasing social contact in daily ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9444703/

Use of Mobile Apps and Online Programs of Mindfulness and ... This article reports a one-year study examining the effect of a smartphone meditation app (M-App) in alleviating burnout and promoting resilience among ...

7. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-46472-001

The meditation app revolution. - APA PsycNet Smartphone-based meditation training has jumped onto the world stage, shifting how millions of people learn and practice meditation.