Tai chi treatment for depression in Chinese Americans: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of using tai chi for treating major depressive disorder.


METHODS
Thirty-nine Chinese Americans with major depressive disorder were randomized into a 12-wk tai chi intervention or a waitlisted control group in a 2:1 ratio. The key outcome measurement was the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Positive response was defined as a decrease of 50% or more on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and remission was defined as a score of 7 or lower on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression.


RESULTS
Of the participants (n = 39), 77% were women, and mean (SD) age was 55 (10) years. There were 26 (67%) participants in the tai chi intervention group and 13 (33%) in the control group. Of the participants in the tai chi group, 73% completed the intervention; no adverse events were reported. We observed trends toward improvement in the tai chi intervention group, compared with the control group, in positive treatment-response rate (24% vs. 0%) and remission rate (19% vs. 0%), although the differences in our small sample did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
A randomized controlled trial of tai chi is feasible and safe in Chinese American patients with major depressive disorder. These promising pilot study results inform the design of a more definitive trial.
Benson Henry Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Albert
A
Yeung
Veronique
V
Lepoutre
Peter
P
Wayne
Gloria
G
Yeh
Lauren E
LE
Slipp
Maurizio
M
Fava
John W
JW
Denninger
Herbert
H
Benson
Gregory L
GL
Fricchione
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D026302:Tai Ji / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome