Qigong and Multicomponent Exercise in Panic Disorder

NCT07439224 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 9029-GOA
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Panic disorder is a psychiatric disease characterized by recurrent panic attacks that occur in expected or unexpected situations and create feelings of intense fear, restlessness and discomfort. Panic disorder often has a chronic course, its frequency and severity can be irregular, various physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms can develop, and the quality of life of individuals can decrease significantly. Evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are effective in reducing the symptoms of panic disorder and managing the disorder. However, both of these treatment methods have certain limitations, and approximately one-third of patients do not respond to therapy or the response is not sufficiently effective. Delaying treatment of the disease results in a poor prognosis and more established symptoms. Exercise can be viewed as a low-cost, supportive treatment for relieving symptoms with comparable efficacy to medication and other psychological interventions. Although exercise is recommended for patients with anxiety-panic disorder, there remains uncertainty about whether its effects are sustainable, the type and intensity of exercise required for effective treatment, and thus the effects of qigong and multicomponent exercise on multiple health outcomes in panic disorder. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of Qigong exercise training and multicomponent exercise training on anxiety-panic, balance, mobility, walking, functional strength, physical activity, sleep quality, fatigue, chronic musculoskeletal pain, quality of life and cognition.

Conditions

Panic Disorder; Panic Disorder (With or Without Agoraphobia); Panic Attacks and Disorders; Qigong; Exercise; Anxiety Disorders

Keywords

Anxiety disorders; Baduanjin; Exercise training; Physical health; Mental health; Multicomponent exercise; Panic disorder; Qigong; Mind-body exercises

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• DSM-5 Panic Disorder Severity Scale

  Panic levels will be evaluated with the DSM-5 Panic Disorder Severity Scale. It provides a five-point Likert-type rating (0=never, 1=sometimes, 2=half of the time, 3=most of the time, 4=all of the time). Scores obtained from the scale items determine the severity of panic disorder. The total score for the scale ranges from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating more severe panic disorder symptoms.

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

• State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

  State and trait anxiety levels will be assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory is a psychological inventory consisting of 40 self-report items on a 4-point Likert scale. The STAI measures two types of anxiety separately in two forms (STAI-S; STAI-T)-state anxiety and trait anxiety. The scale has 20 state-domain and 20 trait-domain questions. A score of 1 indicates that the situation described in the question does not reflect their personality at all; a score of 4 indicates that the situation described in the question reflects their personality completely. Each form is scored between 20 and 80, with higher scores positively correlated with higher anxiety levels, while lower scores indicate lower anxiety levels. The cutoff score for this scale is 44, with scores of 45 and above indicating higher anxiety levels.

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Mini-Balance Assessment Systems Test

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

• Functional Walking Assessment

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

• Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

• 5-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

• Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire

  change from baseline to 8 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Qigong-Baduanjin Exercise Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

In our study, the Qigong exercise training group will receive Baduanjin training via online platform for 8 weeks, 2 days a week, 1 hour a day, under the supervision of a physiotherapist. Each lesson will consist of 10 minutes of warm-up, 40 minutes of Qigong Baduanjin exercises, and 10 minutes of cool-down. First, the participants will be taught isometric and isotonic segmental movement sequences in the upper and lower extremities, then they will be taught to combine breathing techniques, and then they will be taught to focus their attention on movement, breathing, and Qi (life force). In addition, the patients will be asked to exercise at home unsupervised for 1 day a week and keep an exercise diary. According to the participant's compliance and problems, examinations will be made in weekly check-ups and the exercise diary recorded by the patients will be checked, and thus exercise progressions will be ensured. The sessions will be carried out in groups and supervised.

Other: Exercise Training

Multicomponent Exercise (resistance, balance, endurance and cognitive-motor skills) Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive multicomponent exercise training via online platform, 2 times a week, 1 hour per day, for 8 weeks. In addition, patients will be asked to exercise at home unsupervised for 1 day a week and keep an exercise diary. Participant's compliance and problems will be examined during weekly check-ups, and exercise progressions will be provided by increasing the intensity according to the participant's compliance. Sessions will be performed and supervised in groups. The multicomponent exercise intervention will consist of a combined training program with three components (resistance training with "elastic resistance band", balance training, endurance and training to develop cognitive-motor skills (dual task)). Each session will have a 3-part structure (warm-up, main exercise and cool-down) to increase the level of difficulty and commitment, and progress will be monitored throughout the 8-week multicomponent treatment.

Other: Exercise Training

Wait List - Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this group will only be monitored during the study, they will continue their normal treatments, in addition to their usual medical care, if they have a sports or exercise program, they will be asked to continue but not to start a new program, and they will be informed about healthy lifestyle recommendations (regular physical activity-exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.). In this group with a waiting list structure, individuals who have completed the study follow-up period will be offered exercise program options and will be included in the training programs if they want to participate in exercise training, but the data of these participants will not be included in the analyses of this study.

Interventions

Exercise Training OTHER

Exercise training for 8 weeks

Multicomponent Exercise (resistance, balance, endurance and cognitive-motor skills) Training Group; Qigong-Baduanjin Exercise Training Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being between the ages of 18-65
• Being diagnosed with "panic disorder" by a psychiatrist
• Not having another psychiatric illness
• Wanting to participate in the research voluntarily and signing the informed consent
• Not having a history of communication or neuromusculoskeletal disease that would not allow the application of evaluation and treatment methods

You may not qualify if:

• Having a vision and/or hearing problem that would prevent participation in the study
• History of neurological, cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal system disease that would negatively affect participation in evaluation and treatment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dokuz Eylul University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dokuz Eylul University

Izmir, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Panic Disorder; Disease; Motor Activity; Anxiety Disorders; Psychological Well-Being

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Personal Satisfaction

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2025
• First Posted: February 27, 2026
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 30, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2028
• Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

TU (1)