Clinical Research Directory

Nonviolent Communication for Parents

This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of face-to-face Nonviolent Communication (NVC) intervention in improving parents' mental well-being and NVC skills, reducing parenting stress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and child emotional and behavioural problems. A total of 172 parents with primary-school-age children will be recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive six weekly 1.5-hour face-to-face NVC training sessions delivered by trained social workers. Five to ten social workers will be trained by professional NVC trainers through a train-the-trainer workshop, including three sessions. Each social worker will be assessed before (TTT1), after (TTT2) the workshops and 10 months (TTT3). Assessments for participants will be conducted at baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2), and at three-month follow-up (T3). After completing the assessments, the waitlist control group will receive the same sessions. Qualitative interviews will be conducted to explore participants' experiences and perceptions of NVC.

TCM Daoyin for Anxiety/Depression: Psychological Effects and Biological Mechanisms

This 12-week single-arm clinical trial investigates the effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Daoyin exercise on anxiety and depression symptoms in 20 participants, followed by a 12-week observational follow-up period. The primary outcome is the change in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA-14) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) scores at 12 weeks. A secondary outcome will assess these scores at 24 weeks to evaluate sustained effects. Additional secondary outcomes include the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to further assess changes in mood and sleep quality at the same time points. Exploratory analyses will examine inflammatory markers, immune cell subsets, serum metabolomics, and gut microbiota at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks to identify potential biological correlates. During the follow-up period, participants will record their actual exercise engagement, allowing investigators to explore long-term associations. Findings may provide insights for future mechanistic studies on TCM's role in mental health.