Virtual Peer Coaching in Manual Wheelchair Skills

NCT ID: NCT06295146

Last Updated: 2025-06-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

132 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-06-25

Study Completion Date

2027-12-30

Brief Summary

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The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of remote manual wheelchair skills training program. First, peer coaches will be enrolled and trained. Then, trainees will be enrolled into one of three interventions: intervention with remote feedback (Group 1), wait list control group (Group 2), and structured self-study (Group 3).

Detailed Description

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For peer coaches:

Coaches will complete the following measures pre and post training:

* Demographic questionnaire
* Self-Efficacy on Assessing, Training, and Spotting (SEATS)
* Feedback survey

Prior to coaching trainees, coaches will undergo three training programs as follows:

* Virtual training through zoom on peer mentoring
* Research ethics training
* Wheelchair skills training

It will be verified that peer coaches possess the needed skills by administering the SEATS following training. A score of 5 (completely confident) for each training item will be required to advance to the peer coaching sessions.

For peer coaching, coaches will lead six 1:1 virtual zoom meetings with each trainee they are matched with. Sessions may include goal setting, review of progress, instruction, and "homework" of prescribed content for trainees to review. For each training session coaches will complete a session log.

For trainees:

Baseline questionnaires will include:

* Demographic questionnaire
* Wheelchair setup questionnaire
* Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q)
* Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) (Group 1,3 only)
* Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique Short Form (CHART-SF) Mobility
* Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM) Satisfaction with Participation in Meaningful Activities
* Life Space Assessment (LSA)
* Online Learning Readiness Scale (OLRS)
* Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES)
* Referral Source
* Wheelchair Skills Training Questionnaire
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study

Group Specific Activities

Groups 1 and 2 will complete intervention A following baseline and 6-month assessments, respectively. Group 3 will complete intervention B. Participants in all groups will select what goals are important to them. They are not required to complete training in all skills, only to have at least 5 skills with relevant training goals.

Intervention A Trainees will engage in 1:1 virtual zoom meetings facilitated by the study team scheduled weekly for 6 sessions with the opportunity for 2 makeup sessions. Sessions may include goal setting, review of progress, instruction, and "homework" of prescribed content for trainees to review. Participants may upload videos of themselves completing skills through Qualtrics to get feedback.

Skills targeted by the intervention -

1. opening/closing doors
2. picking up an object from the ground
3. getting over a gap
4. getting over a threshold
5. up a low curb
6. down a low curb
7. up a high curb
8. down a high curb
9. performing a stationary wheelie
10. up a steep incline
11. down a steep incline
12. getting up stairs
13. getting down stairs
14. uneven transfers
15. floor-to-chair transfer
16. folding and unfolding wheelchair

Intervention B Intervention B will be a series of educational videos that participants review and then are encouraged to practice the skills. Participants will have access to the materials for 8 weeks. Group 3 will have access to approximately 3 hours of wheelchair skills video training content. Actual viewing time will depend upon the individual's training goal. While they will receive a weekly reminder about practicing, there is no prescribed frequency for how often they should be practicing the skills in the videos.

All participants will complete 2-month follow-up. This will include the following questionnaires:

Baseline questionnaires will include:

* Wheelchair setup questionnaire
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study survey
* Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q)
* Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) - groups 1 and 3 only
* Feedback Survey - groups 1 and 3 only
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study

All participants will complete 6-month follow-up. This will include the following questionnaires:

* Wheelchair setup questionnaire
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study survey
* Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q)
* Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique Short Form (CHART-SF) Mobility
* Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM) Satisfaction with Participation in Meaningful Activities
* Life Space Assessment (LSA)
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study

Groups 2 will then cross-over to complete intervention A.

All participants will complete 8-month follow-up. This will include the following questionnaires:

* Wheelchair setup questionnaire
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study survey
* Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q)
* Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) - group 2 only
* Feedback Survey - group 2 only
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study

All participants will complete 12-month follow-up. This will include the following questionnaires:

* Wheelchair setup questionnaire
* Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire (WST-Q)
* Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique Short Form (CHART-SF) Mobility
* Wheelchair Outcome Measure (WhOM) Satisfaction with Participation in Meaningful Activities
* Life Space Assessment (LSA)
* Wheelchair skills training outside of study

Follow-up windows will be within approximately 2 weeks before/after the follow-up date. Participants will be asked to select two preferred methods of contact for follow-up reminders that will be sent between timepoints.

Spotters are required for trainee participation in the study. Prior to the start of the study, spotters will be required to watch a series of training videos about safe spotting.

Conditions

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Wheelchair Paraplegia Spinal Cord Injury Tetraplegia/Tetraparesis Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

For trainees, we will use a randomized, single-blinded, two-period cross-over study design for Groups 1 and 2. Participants will complete baseline assessments and then be randomized to either Group 1 or Group 2. After we have completed enrollment for Groups 1 and 2 (N=40 per group) we will enroll participants into Group 3 ( N=40 per group).
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

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Active intervention (intervention A)

Active intervention (intervention A) which will include training through peer coaching

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention A: 1-on-1 wheelchair skills training by a peer coach

Intervention Type OTHER

Trainees will engage in 1:1 virtual zoom meetings facilitated by the study team scheduled weekly for 6 sessions with the opportunity for 2 makeup sessions. Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes and may include goal setting, review of progress, instruction, and "homework" of prescribed content for trainees to review. Participants may upload videos of themselves completing skills through Qualtrics to get feedback.

Waitlist control group

Waitlist control group that will receive the same intervention A but at 6 months

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Intervention A: 1-on-1 wheelchair skills training by a peer coach

Intervention Type OTHER

Trainees will engage in 1:1 virtual zoom meetings facilitated by the study team scheduled weekly for 6 sessions with the opportunity for 2 makeup sessions. Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes and may include goal setting, review of progress, instruction, and "homework" of prescribed content for trainees to review. Participants may upload videos of themselves completing skills through Qualtrics to get feedback.

Self-study intervention

Self-study intervention with review of educational materials

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Intervention B: Training via educational videos

Intervention Type OTHER

Intervention B will be a series of educational videos that participants review and then are encouraged to the practice the skills. Participants will have access to the materials for 8 weeks. Group 3 will have access to approximately 3 hours of wheelchair skills video training content. Actual viewing time will depend upon the individual's training goal. While they will receive a weekly reminder about practicing, there is no prescribed frequency for how often they should be practicing the skills in the videos.

Interventions

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Intervention A: 1-on-1 wheelchair skills training by a peer coach

Trainees will engage in 1:1 virtual zoom meetings facilitated by the study team scheduled weekly for 6 sessions with the opportunity for 2 makeup sessions. Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes and may include goal setting, review of progress, instruction, and "homework" of prescribed content for trainees to review. Participants may upload videos of themselves completing skills through Qualtrics to get feedback.

Intervention Type OTHER

Intervention B: Training via educational videos

Intervention B will be a series of educational videos that participants review and then are encouraged to the practice the skills. Participants will have access to the materials for 8 weeks. Group 3 will have access to approximately 3 hours of wheelchair skills video training content. Actual viewing time will depend upon the individual's training goal. While they will receive a weekly reminder about practicing, there is no prescribed frequency for how often they should be practicing the skills in the videos.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

Coaches:

* At least 18 years old
* Non-progressive SCI
* Able to speak and read English
* Reside in the community
* Independently use a manual wheelchair for at least 50% of mobility

Coaches with paraplegia:

\- Able to complete all skills targeted by the intervention, except stair ascent, (WST-Q item scores 2) independently.

Coaches with tetraplegia:

\- Able to complete all skills targeted by the intervention with or without assistance

Trainees:

* At least 18 years old
* Non-progressive SCI
* Able to speak and read English
* Reside in the community
* Independently use a manual wheelchair for 50% of mobility
* Access to an Internet-ready device with video capabilities.
* Access to a spotter for practicing wheelchair skills
* Desire training for at least 5 of the 16 skills targeted by the training program

Exclusion Criteria

* none
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Pittsburgh

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Lynn Worobey

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Lynn Worobey, PhD/DPT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pittsburgh

Locations

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University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Lee Tempest, BS

Role: CONTACT

412-232-9326

Debbie Harrington, BS

Role: CONTACT

412-383-1355

Facility Contacts

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Lee Tempest, BS

Role: primary

412-232-9326

Debbie Harrington, BS

Role: backup

4123370372

Other Identifiers

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STUDY23050075

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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