ClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT07832097EXEBOTUpdated Nov 2, 2026

Effectiveness of a Smartphone Chatbot to Improve Exercise Adherence in Older Adults

An interventional study of Chatbot-Supported Home-Based Exercise Program and Paper-Based Home Exercise Program Mostrar más líneas in Exercise Adherence and Healthy Aging, sponsored by University of Valencia. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 59 Years to 85 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-02.

Sponsored by University of Valencia · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Nov 2, 2026Start date movedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
100
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
59 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a smartphone-based chatbot in improving adherence to a 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program in community-dwelling older adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a chatbot-supported exercise program delivered through Telegram or an equivalent paper-based exercise program. Both groups will perform the same exercise program, including strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises. The primary outcome is exercise adherence. Secondary outcomes include physical function, physical activity, participant satisfaction, usability of the chatbot, and adverse events. The study seeks to determine whether chatbot-based support can enhance adherence and improve health outcomes in older adults.

Read the detailed description

Population aging is associated with declines in physical function, mobility, and independence. Home-based multicomponent exercise programs are effective strategies to maintain physical function and reduce the risk of disability in older adults; however, adherence to exercise programs remains a major challenge, particularly when exercises are performed without direct supervision. Effectiveness of a Smartphone-Based Chatbot on Adherence to a Home-Based Multicomponent Exercise Program and Physical Function in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial addresses this challenge by evaluating a digital intervention specifically designed to support exercise adherence.

This study is a two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial conducted in community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and older. Participants are randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either a chatbot-supported exercise program or a paper-based exercise program. Both groups receive the same 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program, consisting of three exercise sessions per week. The intervention includes strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises with a predefined progression throughout the program.

Participants assigned to the intervention group receive exercise prescriptions through a Telegram-based chatbot. In addition to delivering the exercise program, the chatbot provides instructional videos, automated reminders, exercise monitoring, adherence tracking, scheduling adjustments, and feedback based on participants' reported exercise completion. Participants allocated to the control group receive the same exercise program in a printed booklet together with a paper calendar for recording completed sessions. Both groups receive standardized follow-up telephone calls during the intervention period.

The primary outcome is exercise adherence, defined as the percentage of prescribed exercise sessions completed during the 12-week intervention. Participants are also classified according to whether they achieve at least 80% adherence to the prescribed sessions. Secondary outcomes include physical function assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 4-meter walking test, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Additional outcomes include physical activity measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults (IPAQ-E), participant satisfaction, perceived usability of the chatbot, and adverse events.

The study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of chatbot-supported exercise interventions for promoting adherence to home-based exercise programs among older adults. If effective, this approach may represent a scalable and accessible strategy to support healthy aging and the implementation of exercise programs in community settings.

02

Conditions studied

  • Exercise Adherence
  • Healthy Aging

Keywords

  • Older Adults
  • Exercise Adherence
  • Home-Based Exercise
  • Physical Function
  • Chatbot
  • Digital Health
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Valencia is the lead sponsor of 357 studies on the registry; 75 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
59 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older.
  • Living independently in the community.
  • Ownership and regular use of a smartphone.
  • Familiarity with at least one instant messaging application and ability to access it at least three times per week.
  • Ability to understand study procedures and instructions.
  • Ability to provide written .
  • Ability to safely perform a home-based exercise program.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Absolute to physical exercise.
  • Inability to understand study instructions.
  • Inability to read and/or write.
  • Uncontrolled neurological conditions that may compromise safe participation in exercise.
  • Uncontrolled cardiovascular conditions that may compromise safe participation in exercise.
  • Any medical condition judged by the investigators to prevent safe participation in the study.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Chatbot-Supported Exercise Program

    Participants will receive a 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program delivered through a Telegram-based chatbot. The program includes three exercise sessions per week consisting of strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises with a predefined progression. The chatbot provides exercise prescriptions, instructional videos, reminders, monitoring of exercise completion, scheduling adjustments, and automated feedback to support adherence.

    Behavioral: Chatbot-Supported Home-Based Exercise Program

  • Active comparator
    Paper-Based Exercise Program

    Participants will receive a 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program in a printed booklet. The program includes three exercise sessions per week consisting of strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises with a predefined progression. Participants will also receive a paper calendar to record exercise completion. No chatbot-based reminders, monitoring, or automated feedback will be provided. Participants will receive the same exercise content, dosage, and progression as the experimental group.

    Behavioral: Paper-Based Home Exercise Program Mostrar más líneas

Interventions

  • BehavioralChatbot-Supported Home-Based Exercise Program

    A 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program delivered through a Telegram-based chatbot. The program includes strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises performed three times per week. The chatbot provides exercise prescriptions, instructional videos, automated reminders, adherence monitoring, scheduling adjustments, and feedback to support exercise participation.

    Also known as: Telegram-Based Exercise Chatbot

  • BehavioralPaper-Based Home Exercise Program Mostrar más líneas

    A 12-week home-based multicomponent exercise program delivered in a printed booklet. The program includes strength, balance, flexibility, and walking exercises performed three times per week with the same content and progression as the experimental intervention. Participants record exercise completion using a paper calendar and do not receive chatbot-based reminders, monitoring, or feedback.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Exercise Adherence

    Exercise adherence will be measured as the percentage of the 36 prescribed exercise sessions completed during the 12-week intervention period. Adherence will be calculated from participant exercise records and expressed as a continuous percentage value.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Adherent Participants

    Number and proportion of participants completing at least 80% of the prescribed exercise sessions during the intervention period.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  2. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)

    Physical function assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Scores range from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating better physical performance.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks

  3. Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)

    Mobility assessed as the time required to stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, return, and sit down.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks

  4. Physical Activity Level

    Physical activity will be assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Elderly (IPAQ-E). Physical activity is quantified as MET-minutes per week (MET-min/week), calculated from the frequency and duration of walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity physical activities performed during the previous week. The questionnaire does not have a predefined minimum or maximum score, as results are reported as a continuous measure of energy expenditure. A practical minimum score is 0 MET-min/week, while no upper limit is defined. Higher scores indicate higher levels of physical activity and therefore a better outcome.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks

  5. Participant Satisfaction

    Participant satisfaction with the intervention will be assessed using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8). The CSQ-8 consists of 8 items, each scored on a 4-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 8 to 32 points, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction with the intervention and therefore a better outcome.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

  6. Chatbot Usability

    Perceived usability of the chatbot will be assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The SUS is a 10-item questionnaire with responses scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better perceived usability of the chatbot and therefore a better outcome. This outcome will be assessed only in participants allocated to the chatbot intervention group.

    Time frame: 12 weeks

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

Timeline

2 registry updates since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedDate before it movedWhere the date was before it moved

Start is estimated for Dec 2026; primary completion for Jan 2027, 1 month later.

Start moved once since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026: Sep 2026 → Dec 2026, on Nov 2, 2026.

Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 15, 2026
First posted
Sep 21, 2026
StartEst.
Dec 14, 2026was Sep 2026
Primary completionEst.
Jan 30, 2027
CompletionEst.
Jan 30, 2027
Last update
Nov 2, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Start date
Sep 14, 2026→Dec 14, 2026
Nov 2, 2026
Secondary outcomes
3 description edited
What changed in the outcomes
  • DescriptionChatbot Usability: how it is measured was reworded
  • DescriptionParticipant Satisfaction: how it is measured was reworded
  • DescriptionPhysical Activity Level: how it is measured was reworded
Sep 25, 2026
Show all 2 updates
  1. Nov 2, 2026
    Start date Sep 14, 2026→Dec 14, 2026
    + 1 other change: verification date
  2. Sep 25, 2026
    Secondary outcomes 3 description edited
    What changed in the outcomes
    • DescriptionChatbot Usability: how it is measured was reworded
    • DescriptionParticipant Satisfaction: how it is measured was reworded
    • DescriptionPhysical Activity Level: how it is measured was reworded

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07832097
Responsible party
CARMEN GARCÍA GOMARIZ (Associate professor of Infirmary, University of Valencia) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 21, 2026
Start date
Dec 14, 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jan 30, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 30, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 2, 2026

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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