Actively Recruiting
Led by Education University of Hong Kong · Updated on 2026-03-02
136
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
E
Education University of Hong Kong
Lead Sponsor
T
The University of Hong Kong
Collaborating Sponsor
Researchers are studying a new 6-session conditioning approach to understand how it may affect feelings of loneliness, mood, depressive symptoms, and related brain activity in adults who feel lonely. The study aims to explore changes in social and emotional processing and brain patterns linked to loneliness by comparing two different intervention methods. Participants will first complete an online loneliness questionnaire and further screening. Eligible adults will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will experience social images paired with positive stimuli, while the other group will see social images paired with neutral stimuli. The intervention includes a pre-conditioning phase, six conditioning sessions over three weeks, and a post-conditioning phase where participants rate the emotional value of images. Throughout the study, participants will complete tests and questionnaires on loneliness, mood, and depressive symptoms at baseline, immediately after the sessions, and three months later. Resting-state brain scans using a 3T MRI will also be conducted at these times. Researchers will monitor social motivation, emotional responses to stimuli, and brain activation patterns, as well as daily loneliness over about four months. The total study period includes initial assessments, intervention, and long-term follow-up.
CONDITIONS
A Novel Conditioning Approach to Counter Loneliness in Adults
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Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 1 day
Participants complete tests and questionnaires on loneliness, mood, depressive symptoms, and other socio-affective measures; they are also invited to receive resting-state functional MRI scanning.
1 baseline visit (in-person)
Duration - 1 day
Participants are exposed to pictures with varying emotional and social content and provide ratings on perceived valence and social motivation.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 3 weeks
Participants attend 6 sessions across 3 weeks involving exposure to social stimuli paired with either positive or neutral stimuli depending on their group assignment.
6 visits (in-person)
Duration - 1 day
Participants provide ratings on the stimuli similar to the pre-conditioning phase.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 1 day
Participants complete tests and questionnaires on loneliness, mood, depressive symptoms, and other socio-affective measures; they are also invited to receive resting-state functional MRI scanning.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 1 day
Participants complete tests and questionnaires on loneliness, mood, depressive symptoms, and other socio-affective measures; they are also invited to receive resting-state functional MRI scanning.
1 visit (in-person)
Total: 1 location
1
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Actively Recruiting
N
Nichol ML Wong, PhD
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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Nichol M L Wong, Tatia M C Lee
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40866945