First Episode Psychosis (FEP)NCT07628699
Digital Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention for First Episode Psychosis
A study testing Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Music Listening in people with First Episode Psychosis (FEP), run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
The objective of the current study is to assess the impact of a five-week digital heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-B) intervention or music listening on the well-being of first episode psychosis patients. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 55 years
- Conditions the study is for
- First Episode Psychosis (FEP)
- What is being tested?
- Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Music Listening
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2026to Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 55 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients with first-episode-psychosis who have been in treatment for less than 5 years
- Inclusive of affective and non-affective psychosis
- Aged 18-55
- A diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders or affective psychosis including schizoaffective disorder, bipolar affective disorders and depression with psychosis based on DSM V diagnostic criteria
- Able to provide written informed consent.
- Patients should be stable but with symptoms present
- Score a minimum of 7 on the Calgary Depression Scale.
Who cannot join
- Any organic neurological or cardiac conditions
- Prescription of cardiovascular medication
- Active severe suicidal ideation
- Diabetes as this can affect HRV
- Current substance abuse
- An ECG will be performed on each participant prior to joining the study to exclude undiagnosed cardiac conditions
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hong Kong1 site
Queen Mary Hospital/University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, SAR China
About this study
Official title: Digital Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention for First Episode Psychosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The objective of the current study is to assess the impact of a five-week digital heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-B) intervention or music listening on the well-being of first episode psychosis patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of how an individual's heart rate can adapt to a changing environment and mental and physiological challenges. It has been well established that HRV can be regulated through actions such as slow breathing and meditation. HRV Biofeedback (HRV-B) involves breathing at a specific frequency, usually around 6 breaths per minute, which has been shown to maximize HRV. Research has shown that HRV-B interventions improved mental health symptoms in various populations including individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.
- Conditions
- First Episode Psychosis (FEP)
- Being tested
- Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback, Music Listening
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Heart Rate Variability BiofeedbackBehavioural
The HRV-B intervention will consist of five weeks of daily HRV-B practice, based on previous empirical studies that used 5 weeks (Tatschl et al, 2020) with 6 weekly lab visits or checkins. Participants will practice for 10 minutes in the morning and evening for a total of 20 minutes per day, using a wearable device and mobile app.
Music ListeningBehavioural
The control group will undergo a 5 week active control intervention consisting of daily music listening and 6 weekly check ins. Control participants will listen to music through an app for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening, for a total of 20 minutes daily, using a mobile app. They will be instructed to avoid doing other tasks when listening to the music to ensure consistency between individuals.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRV-B) | Experimental | The HRV-B intervention will consist of five weeks of daily HRV-B practice, based on previous empirical studies that used 5 weeks (Tatschl et al, 2020) with 6 weekly lab visits or checkins. Participants will practice for 10 minutes in the morning and evening for a total of 20 minutes per day, using a wearable device and mobile app. Receives: Behavioral: Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback |
| Music Listening | Active comparator | The control group will undergo a 5 week active control intervention consisting of daily music listening and 6 weekly check ins. Control participants will listen to music through an app for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening, for a total of 20 minutes daily, using a mobile app. They will be instructed to avoid doing other tasks when listening to the music to ensure consistency between individuals. Receives: Behavioral: Music Listening |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depression Symptoms
The Chinese version of the Calgary Depression Scale (CDSS) will be administered to participants by a trained assessor biweekly at check-ins to assess depressive symptoms. Minimum score: 0 (no depression) maximum score 27 (severe depression).
Measured: 5 weeks, 3 data points
Secondary outcomes (4)
State Paranoia
The Chinese version of the Paranoid Ideation Checklist (Chan et al, 2011) will be completed by participants weekly during lab visits. Minimum score: 18 (no state paranoia), maximum score 90 (severe state paranoia).
Measured: 5 weeks, 6 data points
Psychotic Symptoms
The Chinese version of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) evaluation will be conducted by a trained assessor during intake and at the final visit to rate the severity of the patient's psychotic symptoms. Minimum score: 30 (minimal psychotic symptoms) maximum score: 210 (severe psychotic symptoms).
Measured: 5 weeks, 2 data points
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
RR Intervals (time between heart beats) are automatically stored in the Elite HRV app after every training session. Additionally, SDNN and RMSSD as measured in the EliteHRV app will be extracted from each training session during the weekly checkins.
Measured: 5 weeks, 70 data points
Ideas of Reference
The Chinese version of the Ideas of Reference Interview Scale (IRIS) will be administered to participants by a trained assessor on the initial and final lab visits. Minimum score: 0 (no ideas of reference), maximum score 15 (endorsement of all 15 themes).
Measured: 5 weeks, 2 data points.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionAug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionAug 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for First Episode Psychosis (FEP)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07628699
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB UW 26-043
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 14 May 2026
- Last updated
- 5 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: To protect the privacy of our patients we will not share IPD.
Publications
Chan, R. C. K., Li, X., Lai, M.-k., Li, H., Wang, Y., Cui, J., Deng, Y., & Raine, A. (2011). Paranoid Ideation Checklist [Database record]. APA PsycTests. https://doi.org/10.1037/t29207-000
Tatschl JM, Hochfellner SM, Schwerdtfeger AR. Implementing Mobile HRV Biofeedback as Adjunctive Therapy During Inpatient Psychiatric Rehabilitation Facilitates Recovery of Depressive Symptoms and Enhances Autonomic Functioning Short-Term: A 1-Year Pre-Post-intervention Follow-Up Pilot Study. Front Neurosci. 2020 Jul 21;14:738. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00738. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32792897
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Digital Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention for First Episode Psychosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07628699
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB UW 26-043
- Conditions
- First Episode Psychosis (FEP)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The objective of the current study is to assess the impact of a five-week digital heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-B) intervention or music listening on the well-being of first episode psychosis patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of how an individual's heart rate can adapt to a changing environment and mental and physiological challenges. It has been well established that HRV can be regulated through actions such as slow breathing and meditation. HRV Biofeedback (HRV-B) involves breathing at a specific frequency, usually around 6 breaths per minute, which has been shown to maximize HRV. Research has shown that HRV-B interventions improved mental health symptoms in various populations including individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRV-B) | Experimental | Behavioral: Heart Rate Variability BiofeedbackThe HRV-B intervention will consist of five weeks of daily HRV-B practice, based on previous empirical studies that used 5 weeks (Tatschl et al, 2020) with 6 weekly lab visits or checkins. Participants will practice for 10 minutes in the morning and evening for a total of 20 minutes per day, using a wearable device and mobile app. |
| Music Listening | Active comparator | Behavioral: Music ListeningThe control group will undergo a 5 week active control intervention consisting of daily music listening and 6 weekly check ins. Control participants will listen to music through an app for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening, for a total of 20 minutes daily, using a mobile app. They will be instructed to avoid doing other tasks when listening to the music to ensure consistency between individuals. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Patients with first-episode-psychosis who have been in treatment for less than 5 years
- Inclusive of affective and non-affective psychosis
- Aged 18-55
- A diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders or affective psychosis including schizoaffective disorder, bipolar affective disorders and depression with psychosis based on DSM V diagnostic criteria
- Able to provide written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Any organic neurological or cardiac conditions
- Prescription of cardiovascular medication
- Active severe suicidal ideation
- Diabetes as this can affect HRV
- Current substance abuse
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Variability BiofeedbackThe HRV-B intervention will consist of five weeks of daily HRV-B practice, based on previous empirical studies that used 5 weeks (Tatschl et al, 2020) with 6 weekly lab visits or checkins. Participants will practice for 10 minutes in the morning and evening for a total of 20 minutes per day, using a wearable device and mobile app. | Behavioural | Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRV-B) |
| Music ListeningThe control group will undergo a 5 week active control intervention consisting of daily music listening and 6 weekly check ins. Control participants will listen to music through an app for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening, for a total of 20 minutes daily, using a mobile app. They will be instructed to avoid doing other tasks when listening to the music to ensure consistency between individuals. | Behavioural | Music Listening |
Primary outcome
Depression Symptoms
Time frame: 5 weeks, 3 data points
The Chinese version of the Calgary Depression Scale (CDSS) will be administered to participants by a trained assessor biweekly at check-ins to assess depressive symptoms. Minimum score: 0 (no depression) maximum score 27 (severe depression).
4 secondary outcomes
State Paranoia
Time frame: 5 weeks, 6 data points
Psychotic Symptoms
Time frame: 5 weeks, 2 data points
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Time frame: 5 weeks, 70 data points
Ideas of Reference
Time frame: 5 weeks, 2 data points.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Jun 2026.
- BackgroundChan, R. C. K., Li, X., Lai, M.-k., Li, H., Wang, Y., Cui, J., Deng, Y., & Raine, A. (2011). Paranoid Ideation Checklist [Database record]. APA PsycTests. https://doi.org/10.1037/t29207-000
- Background: PubMed 32792897Tatschl JM, Hochfellner SM, Schwerdtfeger AR. Implementing Mobile HRV Biofeedback as Adjunctive Therapy During Inpatient Psychiatric Rehabilitation Facilitates Recovery of Depressive Symptoms and Enhances Autonomic Functioning Short-Term: A 1-Year Pre-Post-intervention Follow-Up Pilot Study. Front Neurosci. 2020 Jul 21;14:738. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00738. eCollection 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. To protect the privacy of our patients we will not share IPD.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Music Listening in people with First Episode Psychosis (FEP), run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Sherry Kit Wa Chan, PhD (+(852) 2255 3064, kwsherry@hku.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depression Symptoms (time frame: 5 weeks, 3 data points). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07628699, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Jun 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.