People Experiencing Homelessness and Integrative Medical Care: Implementing Music Therapy, Art Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation Sessions in a Low-Threshold Day-in Center in Lausanne for Greater Health Equity

NCT07847931 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 2026-008126071.19
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing group sessions of music therapy, art therapy and mindfulness meditation in real-life setting in a specific context (in a low threshold day-center for people experiencing homelessness in Lausanne "L'Espace"). The second aims consists of exploring participants' experience of these implemented approaches and describe participants' trajectories in terms of health-related QoL, psychological distress, perception of pain, self-esteem and relation to others over time. The sessions will be implemented sequentially in three blocks:

• Music therapy: 8 biweekly 2 hours sessions over 4 months (group of 8-12 participants);
• Art therapy: 8 biweekly 2 hours sessions over 4 months (group of 8 12 participants);
• Mindfulness meditation: two consecutive 8-week program (weekly 2 hours sessions, group of 8-12 participants).

Conditions

Homelessness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Acceptance rate

  The acceptability (acceptance rate) will be assessed in terms of recruitment rate (#people included/#people invited).

  Throughout the recruitment period, up to 1 month

• Attendance rate

  The feasibility of implementing music therapy, art therapy, and mindfulness meditation in a real-life setting will be assessed in terms of attendance at intervention sessions (number of sessions attended/total number of sessions offered).

  From enrollment through 4 months for music therapy and art therapy; and from enrollment through 2 months for mindfulness meditation

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Health related quality of life

  Baseline, 1 month, and 4 months for music therapy and art therapy; baseline, 1 month, and 2 months for mindfulness meditation

• Relatedness to others

  Baseline, 1 month, and 4 months for music therapy and art therapy; baseline, 1 month, and 2 months for mindfulness meditation

• Psychological distress

  Baseline, 1 month, and 4 months for music therapy and art therapy; and baseline, T1 (1 month), T2 (2 months) for mindfulness meditation

• Self-esteem

  Baseline, 1 month, and 4 months for music therapy and art therapy; baseline, 1 month, and 2 months for mindfulness meditation

Study Arms (1)

Music therapy, Art therapy, Mindfulness Meditation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will sequentially receive three interventions: music therapy, art therapy, and mindfulness meditation. The interventions will be implemented in a low-threshold drop-in center for people experiencing homelessness in Switzerland. Feasibility and acceptability of implementing these interventions in a real-life setting will be evaluated.

Behavioral: Music therapy; Behavioral: Art therapy; Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation

Interventions

Music therapy BEHAVIORAL

The music therapy sessions will offer sensory workshops of immersive musical listening, digital and acoustic music creation and shared improvised music.

Music therapy, Art therapy, Mindfulness Meditation

Art therapy BEHAVIORAL

Art therapy sessions will include activities combining painting, modeling, and movement based on an initial theme.

Music therapy, Art therapy, Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation BEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness meditation sessions will involve foundational practices designed to enhance participants' ability to focus attention on a chosen object, such as the breath, while observing when the mind wanders and gently bringing attention back to the object of focus.

Music therapy, Art therapy, Mindfulness Meditation

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Being ≥18;
• Being fluent in the languages known by the practitioners (English and French for music therapy and art therapy, Franch for mindfulness meditation);
• Planning to stay in Lausanne for the next 10 months;
• Agreeing to participate in group sessions;
• Being homeless according to the categories 1, 2, 3, or 5 of the ETHOS Light typology.

You may not qualify if:

• Being unable to provide an informed consent.
• For all interventions: having an unstable mental health issue (actively suicidal depression, active PTSD, decompensated bipolar, acute psychotic episode).
• For the mindfulness meditation blocks only: being in psychological decompensation (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, addictive disorders, and suicidal thoughts); suffering from epilepsy, complex trauma or unstable PTSD.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisante), University of Lausanne, Switzerland: lead

Study Sites (1)

Center for Primary Care and Public Health

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, 1011, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (8)

• Maddock A, Hevey D, Eidenmuller K. Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention with homeless adults: A pilot study. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction. 2017;15:529-544.

  RESULT

• Grazioli VS, Hangartner E, Bodenmann P, Schaad L, Grosjean L, Nikles J, Campbell DJT, Hyvert L, Varela TA, Collins SE, Leblanc C, Loignon C, Berna C. Complementary medicine among individuals experiencing homelessness in Switzerland: a quantitative and qualitative descriptive study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025 May 6;25(1):166. doi: 10.1186/s12906-024-04727-4.

  PMID: 40329247 RESULT

• Stadler, G., et al., Diversified innovations in the health sciences: Proposal for a Diversity Minimal Item Set (DiMIS). Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 2023. 33.

  RESULT

• Vallieres EF, Vallerand RJ. Traduction Et Validation Canadienne-Française De L'échelle De L'estime De Soi De Rosenberg. Int J Psychol. 1990;25(2):305-16. doi:10.1080/00207599008247865

  RESULT

• Furukawa TA, Kessler RC, Slade T, Andrews G. The performance of the K6 and K10 screening scales for psychological distress in the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being. Psychol Med. 2003 Feb;33(2):357-62. doi: 10.1017/s0033291702006700.

  PMID: 12622315 RESULT

• Gagné M. The Role of Autonomy Support and Autonomy Orientation in Prosocial Behavior Engagement. Motiv Emot. 1 sept 2003;27(3):199-223. doi:10.1023/A:1025007614869

  RESULT

• Deci EL, Ryan RM. The " What " and " Why " of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychol Inq. 1 oct 2000;11(4):227-68. doi:10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

  RESULT

• Skevington SM, Lotfy M, O'Connell KA; WHOQOL Group. The World Health Organization's WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment: psychometric properties and results of the international field trial. A report from the WHOQOL group. Qual Life Res. 2004 Mar;13(2):299-310. doi: 10.1023/B:QURE.0000018486.91360.00.

  PMID: 15085902 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Music Therapy; Art Therapy; Mindfulness

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sensory Art Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavior Therapy

Central Study Contacts

Véronique S. Grazioli, PHD

CONTACT

079 556 11 66; veronique.grazioli@unisante.ch

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This is a single-group pilot study evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of implementing three sequential interventions: music therapy, art therapy, and mindfulness meditation, among people experiencing homelessness at a low-threshold drop-in center in Switzerland. All participants will receive the three interventions sequentially.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 1, 2026
• First Posted: September 29, 2026
• Study Start: October 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Last Updated: September 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CH (1)