Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Self-identify as being of Asian ethnicity * English language proficiency * Be ≥18 years of age * Satisfy DSM-5 criteria for MDD prior to the initiation of the study intervention, as determined by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) interview * A baseline of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression score ≥ 16 * A baseline score of PHQ-15 ≥10 * Have not had Tai Chi/Qigong training/practice or other forms of mind-body intervention (e.g. yoga, mindfulness training, muscle relaxation training, etc) more than once a week in the past 3 months * A total score 24 or higher in Mini-Mental Status Examination for cognitive ability (if the participant endorses a history of cognitive impairment). * Willing to keep any psychiatric medications and psychotherapy stable throughout the course of the study (from Week 0 baseline to Week 12 Follow-up) * Have access to a device (i.e., smartphone, iPad, personal computer) and a stable network to attend the online group sessions * Ability to perform daily physical activity Exclusion Criteria: * Have a primary psychiatric diagnosis other than MDD * Any history of psychosis, mania, or impulsivity and difficulty relating to people and judged by the clinician not appropriate for group intervention * Active eating disorder or substance use disorder within the last 6 months * Any relevant medical conditions that may be the medical basis of depression including thyroid diseases, epilepsy, history of an abnormal EEG, severe head trauma, or stroke * Have serious uncontrolled medical conditions (e.g. poorly controlled diabetes, severe congestive heart failure), or other medical conditions that in the opinion of the investigators represents a risk to the subject, including presence of a pacemaker, cardiac arrhythmia, fever, weakness and hypotension, or vagal nerve stimulator * current active suicidal or self-injurious potential (i.e., PHQ-9 item 9 ≥1 and/or a positive response to C-SSRS screener items 3, 4, 5, or 6), and assessed by the clinician necessitating immediate treatment * Participant who are or who plan to receive confounding treatments (including treatment of endocrinopathies): use of antidepressants, complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments thought to have beneficial effects on mood, including St. John's Wort, S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe), omega-3 fatty acids, light therapy, conventional psychotherapy, mind-body interventions (e.g. Qigong, mindfulness training, muscle relaxation training, etc.) * Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during the last year as these patients are often among the more refractory and are not optimal candidates for CAM * History of refractory to treatment with ≥3 failed antidepressant trials in current depressive episode * Participated in other depression-related clinical trials within the past 3 months * Antidepressant or psychiatric medications that are initiated less than 8 weeks or a dose change less than 4 weeks prior to screening visit * Psychotherapy that has been initiated within the past 3 months