Daoist Zhanzhuang and Human Flourishing
This project investigates the impact of Daoist Zhanzhuang (sometimes spelled as Chan Chuang) on human flourishing, and explores the physiological, psychological, and spiritual mechanisms. This study will be a two-arm randomized controlled trial, with mixed-methods and repeated-measures assessment of outcome variables.
| Condition(s) | Stress, Physiological, Stress, Psychological, Inflammatory Response, Well-Being, Psychological |
|---|---|
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | NA |
| Study type | Interventional |
| Summary | This project investigates the impact of Daoist Zhanzhuang (sometimes spelled as Chan Chuang) on human flourishing, and explores the physiological, psychological, and spiritual mechanisms. This study will be a two-arm randomized controlled trial, with mixed-methods and repeated-measures assessment of outcome variables. The two arms will include an active control condition (i.e., sham wall squat) and the Daoist Zhanzhuang condition. Outcome variables will include physiological measures of heart rate variability and inflammatory biomarkers, psychological scales of human flourishing variables, phenomenological interviews of mystical experiences, and daily ecological momentary assessment of human flourishing and mysticism. Randomly assigned into two conditions, 120 participants will complete a |
| Who can participate | Inclusion Criteria: 1. young adults aged between 18 and 25 years old when they enroll; 2. be willing and available (e.g., intend to remain in Charlotte or the surrounding area or willing to travel to UNCC campus for in person visits) to participate to 12 month study; 3. able to stand for 30 minutes; 4. scoring above 18 on the Perceived Stress Scale (moderate stress); and 5. able to read, speak and understand English. Exclusion Criteria: 1. experience of qigong-related practice in the past 5 years; 2. reporting regular medication use that directly modulates immune system functioning (e.g., steroids, cytokine inhibitors, high levels of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, chemotherapy, etc.) or sedates the nervous system (e.g., benzodiazepines, anti-epileptics, tranquilizers, etc.) or |
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Accepts healthy volunteers | Yes |
| Lead sponsor | University of North Carolina, Charlotte |
| Locations | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States |
| Start date | 2024-08-29 |
| NCT ID | NCT06573034 |
| Official listing | https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06573034 |