The Young Ambassadors Supporting Caregivers Program
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Behavioral: mindfulness and compassion training, Behavioral: caregiver skills training, Behavioral: Communication skills training.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Psychological Well-being, Caregiver Burden of Caregivers. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
The Effect of the Young Ambassadors Supporting Caregivers (YASC) Program: A Dual Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
This RCT will provide preliminary evidence on effective training for young adult volunteers to support older adult caregivers, addressing Hong Kong's aging crisis and caregiver burden. The objectives of this study include: 1. To examine the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions in Hong Kong's cultural context. 2. To evaluate the effects of three trainings (mindfulness/compassion, caregiving skills, communication skills) on young adult volunteers' preparedness for caregiving, meaning of life, and civic engagement. 3. To assess the impact of volunteer services on caregivers' depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden.
Detailed description
This study will train 60 university students to provide volunteer services to 60 paired caregivers. The 60 university students will be assiged to receive three types of training as intervention arms:
* Intervention 1: Mindfulness and Compassion Training (n=20)
o Training: 12 hours over 6 weeks (2-hour weekly sessions) teaching mindfulness meditation (e.g., loving-kindness, body scan) and compassion practices (e.g., self-compassion exercises). Content culturally adapted with Buddhist-influenced terminology and practices resonant with Hong Kong's context. * Intervention 2: Caregiving Skills Training (n=20)
o Training: 12 hours over 6 weeks (2-hour weekly sessions) teaching OT (e.g., daily living support), PT (e.g., safe transfers), ST (e.g., communication aids), and RN (e.g., vital signs monitoring) skills, tailored to caregivers' needs. * Control: Communication Skills Training (n=20) o Training: 12 hours over 6 weeks (2-hour weekly sessions) focusing on active listening, empathy, and basic conversational skills, without specific mindfulness or caregiving techniques.
After the training, the students will be paired with 60 caregivers of older adults to apply what they have learned during the training to offer services to reduce the psychological burden of the caregivers.
Interventions
- Behavioral Behavioral: mindfulness and compassion training
Parallel randomized controlled trial - Behavioral Behavioral: caregiver skills training
Parallel randomized controlled trial - Behavioral Behavioral: Communication skills training
Parallel randomized controlled trial
Primary outcome measures
- Preparedness for Caregiving Scale [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
- Patient Health Questionnaire [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Civic Engagement Scale [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
- Meaning in Life Scale [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
- Zarit Burden Interview [Time frame: Baseline (pre-test), immediately post-test]
Eligibility criteria
Volunteer Recruitment and Eligibility
This study will recruit university students in Hong Kong as youth volunteers. Eligible participants must meet the following criteria:
- Aged 18-35 years;
- Willing to complete training and commit to at least 2 hours of volunteer service per week for 6 weeks;
- No self-reported major physical or mental health conditions, including cognitive impairment;
- Limited prior formal volunteering experience (≤4 engagements in the past year).
Older Adult Caregiver Recruitment and Eligibility
We will recruit community-dwelling Chinese adults in Hong Kong who provide care for older adults. Eligible caregivers must:
- Be aged 50 years or older;
- Consent to interact with youth volunteers at least four times during the intervention;
- Report no major physical or mental health conditions, including cognitive impairment; and
- Have resided with and provided care for an older adult (aged 65+) for a minimum of one year.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07118774 · SS5/31 · SS5/31