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Table 1 Summary of seven RCTs investigating the effects of qigong exercise among healthy or distressed individuals

From: Managing stress and anxiety through qigong exercise in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Studies

Design

Subjects (age)

Sample size (pre/post)

Intervention (frequency)

Control

Duration

Relevant outcome measures

Results

Johansson et al., 2008[17]

RTC

Regular qigong practitioners for 4.8 ± 3.1 years (mean age: 51 years)

QG: 28

Jichu Gong

Lecture attendance

30 min

(1) STAI-state form

(1) p < .01

CG: 31

(2) POMS

(2) p < .002 for depression score; p < .001 for anger score; p < .001 for fatigue score; p > .05 for scores of tension, vigor, and confusion.

Lee et al., 2004[18]

RCT

Healthy male volunteers who were offered 4 weeks of free classes in Qi-training (20–40 years)

QG: 16

ChunDoSunBup Qi training

Structured movements without gathering or moving qi.

1 hour

(1) STAI-state form

(1) p < .005

CG: 16

(2) ACTH

(2) p < .01

(3) Cortisol

(3) p < .005

(4) Aldosterone

(4) p < .005

Chow et al., 2012[19]

RCT

Middle-aged adults (21–64 years)

IG: 34/34

Chan Mi Gong (90 min, supervised session once a week for 8 weeks, continued with home practice for 4 weeks)

Wait list

12 wk

(1) DASS-21

(1) DASS-S: p = .019; DASS-A: p = .034; DASS-D: p = .053

CG: 34/31

(2) ChQOL

(2) p = .017

(3) Salivary cortisol level

(3) p < .001

Griffith et al., 2008[20]

RCT

Hospital staff (mean age: 51 years)

IG: 25/16

Qigong exercise (The Basic Eight qigong) (1 hour, twice a week plus 30 minutes of DVD-directed practice for non-class days)

Wait list

6 wk

(1) PSS

(1) p = 0.02

CG: 25/21

(2) SF-36

(2) p = 0.05 for social functioning

(3) Sleep

(3) NS

Hwang et al., 2013[21]

RCT

Distressed adults (20–60 years)

IG: 25/19

Brief qigong-based stress reduction program (4 weekly group sessions with a total of 5 hours; 15 min home practice twice daily)

Wait list

4 wk

(1) PSS

(1) p < .001

CG: 25/19

(3) STAI

(2) p < .001 for trait anxiety; p < .005 for state anxiety

(3) Hwa-byung (anger syndrome) scale

(3) p < .05 for personality; p < .05 for symptoms

(4) WHOQOL-BREE

(4) p < .05

(5) Salivary cortisol

(5) NS

Liu et al., 2008[22]

RCT

College students (Age: n.r.)

IG: 50

Eight-Section Brocade qigong (1.5 hours, 5 times per week)

Wait list

12 wk

SCL-90

p < .05 for five of the ten subscales: somatization, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, depression, and hostility.

CG: 50

Manzaneque et al., 2009[23]

RCT

College students (18–21 years)

IG: 21/16

Eight-Section Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) qigong (30 minutes, 3 group sessions a week plus individual practice on the other days)

Wait list

1 mo

(1) STAI-trait form

(1) p < .01

   

CG: 18/16

   

(2) BAI

(2) NS

       

(3) BDI

(3) p < .01

       

(4) PSQI

(4) NS

       

(5) TNF-α

(5) NS

       

(6) TNF-γ

(6) NS

  1. CG, control group; QG, qigong group; RCT, randomized controlled trial.
  2. ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone; ChQOL, the Chinese quality of life instrument; DASS, depression anxiety stress scales; DASS-A, DASS-anxiety subscale; DASS-D, DASS-depression subscale; DASS-S, DASS-stress subscale; PDS, psychological distress scale; POMS, profile of mood states; PSS, perceived stress scale; SF-36, 36-item short form health survey; STAI: State-trait anxiety inventory; WHOQOL-BREE, world health organization quality of life - Abbreviated version.