Health College StudentsNCT07854821
Effects of VR Tai Chi Intervention on Physical Fitness, Anxiety, Depression and Stress Among College Students in Henan, China
A study testing Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training in people with Health College Students, run by Xin Liu at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Research indicates a substantial increase in the rates of anxiety, depression and stress among college students (Roy, Biswas, \& Sharma, 2025). These symptoms significantly are related to poor physical health, low quality of life, poor academic performance, poor relationships, and future opportunities (Man, Li, Lin… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 22 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health College Students
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 56 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 14 Sep 2026to 15 Jan 2027
- 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 22 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Inclusion Criteria:First-year undergraduate students enrolled at Henan Polytechnic University, China.
Male or female students.
Willing to participate voluntarily and provide written informed consent. -
Exclusion Criteria: Students who fail to properly follow experimental procedures
-
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Research indicates a substantial increase in the rates of anxiety, depression and stress among college students (Roy, Biswas, \& Sharma, 2025). These symptoms significantly are related to poor physical health, low quality of life, poor academic performance, poor relationships, and future opportunities (Man, Li, Lin, Yu-Chi, \& Chan, 2025; Roy et al., 2025). Meanwhile, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles often result in declined physical fitness (S. Cai et al., 2025; R. X. Li et al., 2025). Chinese college students face increasingly serious physical and mental health problems. Therefore, this population is highly relevant and meaningful for health intervention research.
Tai Chi has a unique effect in promoting physical and mental health. Studies have shown that Tai Chi exercise can promote heart and lung function, improve body composition, enhance muscle strength and endurance, increase flexibility and balance ability (Easwaran et al., 2021; Guo et al., 2016), reduce stress levels, and alleviate psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression, benefiting physical, emotional and social functions (Q. Cai et al., 2022).
Read more
However, most existing studies focus on the effects of Tai Chi on the physical and mental health of middle-aged, elderly, and chronically ill populations (Chen, Hunt, Campbell, Peill, \& Reid, 2016; Qi et al., 2023; Zeng et al., 2023). Empirical evidence for its intervention effects among college students is limited (Qi, Soh, Nasirudddin, \& Mai, 2022), especially from randomized controlled trials, and evidence on the brain mechanisms of such effects is gap (Jin, Chen, \& Zhang, 2026). And, Tai Chi is a complex form of exercise, and it is difficult for beginners to master it completely and to stick to it ( Wang, J., \& Zhang, Y. C. , 2023). Its health benefits are also hard to be manifested and maintained. Moreover, the slow and gentle movement patterns of Tai Chi make it difficult to attract college students to fully engage in the practice, leading students to gradually form a boring learning state and a learning method of mechanical memory in the learning process (Zhang, C. N.,\& Zhang, C. S, 2021; Zhang, Z.,2021), which affects the effectiveness of the Tai Chi intervention.
Digital Tai Chi intervention has broad application potential. Related research indicates that VR technology application provides a flexible and novel way to promote traditional Tai Chi Health Intervention (Hong Liu, 2025). VR is a computer generated, lifelike virtual world that produces the sensation of immersion in the environment(Wong, Lai, \& Qin, 2023). Due to its ability to tightly control the virtual setting, VR interventions can be implemented precisely. Consistency of VR interventions is ensured because the virtual environment can be replicated exactly across multiple sessions, eliminating variations that might occur in real-world settings(Man et al., 2025). Therefore, applying VR technology to assist Tai Chi health interventions can create an immersive, virtual-real integrated learning experience, stimulate college students' learning motivation, enhance their mastery of Tai Chi movement details, reduce the tediousness of practice, and ultimately improve intervention adherence and effectiveness.
Although VR Tai Chi intervention has broad application potential, current empirical studies on its intervention effects are still relatively limited, especially in terms of insufficient evidence for simultaneously improving physical fitness and mental health among college students. Therefore, research on VR based Tai Chi interventions for college students' physical and mental health remains limited at present.
By integrating traditional Chinese Tai Chi practice with modern VR technology, this study expands the research scope in the intersection of modern information technology and sports science, and fills the gap in the research on the impact of VR Tai Chi intervention on the physical fitness and mental health of college students. The VR-TCI intervention model, provide a low-cost, highly accessible and culturally compatible intervention path for improving the physical fitness of college students and alleviating psychological problems. VR Tai Chi intervention, conforms to the national "modernization of traditional medicine" and "digital health development" strategies, and explores a digital solution for the physical and mental health of college students with Chinese cultural characteristics.
Read the detailed description
1 Study Design This study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design and involved college students from universities in Henan Province. 2 (group: intervention vs. control) × 3 (time: pre vs. mid vs. post) mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA, within-between interaction.
Using stratified random sampling by gender, recruit first-year students from Henan Polytechnic University as the research subjects. At Henan Polytechnic University, freshmen are required to take a Tai Chi course in their first semester, with approximately 40-45 students per class. We plan to recruit participants for the experiment by posting posters in four classes about 150. Include both male and female, who all voluntarily participate in this study and sign the informed consent form. Ethical review is completed before the experimental research is carried out (HPULLSC2025-043).
Based on the study design, the calculation results are a total of 48 students, considering a dropout rate of approximately 15%, a total of 56 students will be recruited, we will intend to recruit 56 participants, who will be divided into experimental group (the VR-Tai Chi intervention group, VR-TCHI) and control group (the conventional Tai Chi intervention group, CTCI), 28 participants each group. Participants who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group in a balanced manner based on their demographic characteristics and emotional status data.
The experimental group (VR-TCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between). Training format: with the application of VR technologies, focusing on the Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms. Training structure: Comprising 5 minutes of preparation phase, 10 minutes of warm-up of VR-guided, 10 minutes of Standing Stance Training of VR-guided, 35 minutes of Immersive VR Tai Chi human-computer interaction practice, 30 minutes of main Tai Chi practice by the VR playback function. Technical support: An online recording system was used to track participation, ensuring the compliance and continuity of the intervention.
The control group (CTCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between). Training format: Completed through face-to-face instruction by physical education teachers, focusing on Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms. Training structure: Comprising 5 minutes of preparation phase, 10 minutes of Warm-up of teacher-guided, 10 minutes of Standing Stance Practice of teacher-guided, 35minutes of Teacher-Guided Practice, and 40 minutes Main Tai Chi Practice by independent.
2 Dependent variables This study dependent variables (DVs) focuses on Health-related Physical Fitness, mental health status (anxiety, depression, stress), EEG indicators, intervention compliance and feasibility.
- Health-related Physical Fitness Assessed to (a) cardiorespiratory endurance, (b) muscular endurance, (c) muscular strength, (d) body composition, and (e) flexibility. The five health-related components of physical fitness are important to health.
- Subjective Psychological DVs Depression level: Assessed to quantify the severity of depressive symptoms. Anxiety level: Assessed to measure the degree of anxious and fearful emotions. Perceived stress level: Assessed to reflect the individual's subjective experience of psychological stress.
- Objective Neurophysiological DVs (Resting-State EEG Biomarkers) EEG frequency band power: Absolute and relative power of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), and beta (β) bands. Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA): The alpha power difference between left and right prefrontal hemispheres. Theta/Beta Ratio (TBR): A key neurophysiological indicator reflecting emotional arousal and stress response.
- Intervention Compliance and Feasibility Intervention compliance mainly reflects the degree of adherence of participants to the prescribed intervention protocol, including whether they can complete the intervention as scheduled, in full dosage, and in accordance with the required procedures.
Intervention feasibility mainly reflects whether the intervention is practically acceptable, implementable, and sustainable in the college students including aspects such as enjoyment, engagement motivation, and immersion experiences.
- Conditions
- Health College Students
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training
- Keywords
- Tai Chi, Virtual Reality, Physical Fitness, Anxiety, Depression, Stress
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi TrainingDevice
Participants receive a 12-week virtual reality-assisted program of Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms, with two 100-minute sessions per week. Each session includes 5 minutes of preparation and VR device calibration, 10 minutes of VR-guided warm-up, 10 minutes of VR-guided standing stance training, 35 minutes of immersive VR interactive Tai Chi practice, 30 minutes of Tai Chi practice supported by VR playback, and 10 minutes of cool-down. Training progresses from individual forms to the complete 18-form sequence.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Group | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training |
| Conventional Tai Chi Group | Active comparator | Participants receive conventional training in Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms through face-to-face instruction by physical education teachers for 12 weeks, with two 100-minute sessions per week. Training includes teacher-guided warm-up, standing stance exercises and Tai Chi practice, independent practice, and cool-down. Receives: Device: Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
1,000-meter run completion time in male participants 800-meter run completion time in female participants Number of sit-ups completed in one minute in female participants Standing long jump distance Sit-and-reach distance
Cardiorespiratory endurance in male participants is assessed using a 1,000-meter run timed with a stopwatch. The outcome is the time required to complete the run, recorded in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better performance.
Cardiorespiratory endurance in female participants is assessed using an 800-meter run timed with a stopwatch. The outcome is the time required to complete the run, recorded in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better performance.
Muscular endurance in female participants is assessed using a one-minute sit-up test. The outcome is the number of correctly completed sit-ups within one minute. A higher number indicates better muscular endurance.
Lower-limb explosive strength is assessed using the standing long jump test. Jump distance is measured using a measuring ruler and recorded in centimeters. A greater distance indicates better performance.
Flexibility is assessed using a sit-and-reach instrument. The outcome is the reach distance, recor
Measured: Baseline (before intervention) and Week 12 (end of intervention).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Total Score at Week 12
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. The questionnaire includes seven items assessing symptoms over the preceding two weeks. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 21 points. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Total Score at Week 12
Depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The questionnaire consists of nine items assessing symptoms over the preceding two weeks. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 27 points. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) Total Score at Week 12
Perceived stress will be assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), which assesses thoughts and feelings during the preceding month. Each item is scored from 0 to 4. Items 4, 5, 7, and 8 are reverse-scored before summing all items. The total score ranges from 0 to 40 points, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Male 1,000-Meter Run Title: 1,000-Meter Run Completion Time in Male Participants at Week 12
Description:
Cardiorespiratory endurance in male participants will be assessed using a 1,000-meter run. The time required to complete the distance will be measured using a stopwatch and reported in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better running performance.
Measured: Time Frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Female 800-Meter Run Title: 800-Meter Run Completion Time in Female Participants at Week 12
Cardiorespiratory endurance in female participants will be assessed using an 800-meter run. The time required to complete the distance will be measured using a stopwatch and reported in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better running performance.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Male Push-Up Test Title: Number of Push-Ups Completed in One Minute by Male Participants at Week 12
Upper-body muscular endurance in male participants will be assessed using a 60-second push-up test. Participants will maintain a straight body position, lower the body until the elbows reach approximately 90 degrees of flexion or greater, and return to the starting position with the elbows extended. Only correctly completed repetitions will be counted. The timer will continue during brief pauses. The test will stop if the participant requests to stop or cannot safely continue; the completed repetitions and reason for early termination will be recorded. The outcome will be the number of valid repetitions completed, with a higher number indicating better performance.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Female One-Minute Sit-Up Test Title: Number of Sit-Ups Completed in One Minute by Female Participants at Week 12
Description:
Abdominal muscular endurance in female participants will be assessed using a one-minute sit-up test. The number of correctly completed sit-ups within 60 seconds will be recorded. A valid repetition will be defined according to [specify the testing standard, including the starting position, required movement, and completion criteria]. The outcome will be reported as the number of valid repetitions. A higher number indicates better performance.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Title: Standing Long Jump Distance at Week 12
Lower-limb explosive performance will be assessed using a standing long jump test. Participants will jump forward from a stationary position using a two-foot take-off. Jump distance will be measured from the take-off line to the nearest landing contact point using a metric ruler and reported in centimeters. Participants will complete [number] valid trials, and the [best or mean] distance will be used as the outcome. A longer distance indicates better performance.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention
Body Fat Percentage at Week 12
Body fat percentage will be assessed using the InBody 230 body composition analyzer according to the manufacturer's measurement procedures. Body fat percentage is the estimated fat mass divided by total body mass, multiplied by 100, and will be reported as a percentage (%).
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Sit-and-Reach Test Title: Sit-and-Reach Distance at Week 12
Flexibility will be assessed using a sit-and-reach instrument. Participants will sit with their knees extended and reach forward with both hands. Reach distance will be recorded in centimeters relative to [specify the instrument's zero reference point]. Participants will complete [number] valid trials, and the [best or mean] distance will be used as the outcome. A higher recorded value indicates greater forward reach.
Measured: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Oct 2026
- Study start14 Sep 2026
- Primary completion15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jan 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health College StudentsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The experimental group (VR-TCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between).The control group (CTCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between).
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Xin Liu
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Xin Liu, Universiti Putra Malaysia
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07854821
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HPULLSC2025-043
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of VR Tai Chi Intervention on Physical Fitness, Anxiety, Depression and Stress Among College Students in Henan, China
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07854821
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HPULLSC2025-043
- Conditions
- Health College Students
- Keywords
- Tai Chi, Virtual Reality, Physical Fitness, Anxiety, Depression, Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 56 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Xin LiuUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 14 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Oct 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.
Research indicates a substantial increase in the rates of anxiety, depression and stress among college students (Roy, Biswas, \& Sharma, 2025). These symptoms significantly are related to poor physical health, low quality of life, poor academic performance, poor relationships, and future opportunities (Man, Li, Lin, Yu-Chi, \& Chan, 2025; Roy et al., 2025). Meanwhile, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles often result in declined physical fitness (S. Cai et al., 2025; R. X. Li et al., 2025). Chinese college students face increasingly serious physical and mental health problems. Therefore, this population is highly relevant and meaningful for health intervention research.
Tai Chi has a unique effect in promoting physical and mental health. Studies have shown that Tai Chi exercise can promote heart and lung function, improve body composition, enhance muscle strength and endurance, increase flexibility and balance ability (Easwaran et al., 2021; Guo et al., 2016), reduce stress levels, and alleviate psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression, benefiting physical, emotional and social functions (Q. Cai et al., 2022).
However, most existing studies focus on the effects of Tai Chi on the physical and mental health of middle-aged, elderly, and chronically ill populations (Chen, Hunt, Campbell, Peill, \& Reid, 2016; Qi et al., 2023; Zeng et al., 2023). Empirical evidence for its intervention effects among college students is limited (Qi, Soh, Nasirudddin, \& Mai, 2022), especially from randomized controlled trials, and evidence on the brain mechanisms of such effects is gap (Jin, Chen, \& Zhang, 2026). And, Tai Chi is a complex form of exercise, and it is difficult for beginners to master it completely and to stick to it ( Wang, J., \& Zhang, Y. C. , 2023). Its health benefits are also hard to be manifested and maintained. Moreover, the slow and gentle movement patterns of Tai Chi make it difficult to attract college students to fully engage in the practice, leading students to gradually form a boring learning state and a learning method of mechanical memory in the learning process (Zhang, C. N.,\& Zhang, C. S, 2021; Zhang, Z.,2021), which affects the effectiveness of the Tai Chi intervention.
Digital Tai Chi intervention has broad application potential. Related research indicates that VR technology application provides a flexible and novel way to promote traditional Tai Chi Health Intervention (Hong Liu, 2025). VR is a computer generated, lifelike virtual world that produces the sensation of immersion in the environment(Wong, Lai, \& Qin, 2023). Due to its ability to tightly control the virtual setting, VR interventions can be implemented precisely. Consistency of VR interventions is ensured because the virtual environment can be replicated exactly across multiple sessions, eliminating variations that might occur in real-world settings(Man et al., 2025). Therefore, applying VR technology to assist Tai Chi health interventions can create an immersive, virtual-real integrated learning experience, stimulate college students' learning motivation, enhance their mastery of Tai Chi movement details, reduce the tediousness of practice, and ultimately improve intervention adherence and effectiveness.
Although VR Tai Chi intervention has broad application potential, current empirical studies on its intervention effects are still relatively limited, especially in terms of insufficient evidence for simultaneously improving physical fitness and mental health among college students. Therefore, research on VR based Tai Chi interventions for college students' physical and mental health remains limited at present.
By integrating traditional Chinese Tai Chi practice with modern VR technology, this study expands the research scope in the intersection of modern information technology and sports science, and fills the gap in the research on the impact of VR Tai Chi intervention on the physical fitness and mental health of college students. The VR-TCI intervention model, provide a low-cost, highly accessible and culturally compatible intervention path for improving the physical fitness of college students and alleviating psychological problems. VR Tai Chi intervention, conforms to the national "modernization of traditional medicine" and "digital health development" strategies, and explores a digital solution for the physical and mental health of college students with Chinese cultural characteristics.
Detailed description
1 Study Design This study employed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design and involved college students from universities in Henan Province. 2 (group: intervention vs. control) × 3 (time: pre vs. mid vs. post) mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA, within-between interaction.
Using stratified random sampling by gender, recruit first-year students from Henan Polytechnic University as the research subjects. At Henan Polytechnic University, freshmen are required to take a Tai Chi course in their first semester, with approximately 40-45 students per class. We plan to recruit participants for the experiment by posting posters in four classes about 150. Include both male and female, who all voluntarily participate in this study and sign the informed consent form. Ethical review is completed before the experimental research is carried out (HPULLSC2025-043).
Based on the study design, the calculation results are a total of 48 students, considering a dropout rate of approximately 15%, a total of 56 students will be recruited, we will intend to recruit 56 participants, who will be divided into experimental group (the VR-Tai Chi intervention group, VR-TCHI) and control group (the conventional Tai Chi intervention group, CTCI), 28 participants each group. Participants who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group in a balanced manner based on their demographic characteristics and emotional status data.
The experimental group (VR-TCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between). Training format: with the application of VR technologies, focusing on the Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms. Training structure: Comprising 5 minutes of preparation phase, 10 minutes of warm-up of VR-guided, 10 minutes of Standing Stance Training of VR-guided, 35 minutes of Immersive VR Tai Chi human-computer interaction practice, 30 minutes of main Tai Chi practice by the VR playback function. Technical support: An online recording system was used to track participation, ensuring the compliance and continuity of the intervention.
The control group (CTCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between). Training format: Completed through face-to-face instruction by physical education teachers, focusing on Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms. Training structure: Comprising 5 minutes of preparation phase, 10 minutes of Warm-up of teacher-guided, 10 minutes of Standing Stance Practice of teacher-guided, 35minutes of Teacher-Guided Practice, and 40 minutes Main Tai Chi Practice by independent.
2 Dependent variables This study dependent variables (DVs) focuses on Health-related Physical Fitness, mental health status (anxiety, depression, stress), EEG indicators, intervention compliance and feasibility.
- Health-related Physical Fitness Assessed to (a) cardiorespiratory endurance, (b) muscular endurance, (c) muscular strength, (d) body composition, and (e) flexibility. The five health-related components of physical fitness are important to health.
- Subjective Psychological DVs Depression level: Assessed to quantify the severity of depressive symptoms. Anxiety level: Assessed to measure the degree of anxious and fearful emotions. Perceived stress level: Assessed to reflect the individual's subjective experience of psychological stress.
- Objective Neurophysiological DVs (Resting-State EEG Biomarkers) EEG frequency band power: Absolute and relative power of delta (δ), theta (θ), alpha (α), and beta (β) bands. Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA): The alpha power difference between left and right prefrontal hemispheres. Theta/Beta Ratio (TBR): A key neurophysiological indicator reflecting emotional arousal and stress response.
- Intervention Compliance and Feasibility Intervention compliance mainly reflects the degree of adherence of participants to the prescribed intervention protocol, including whether they can complete the intervention as scheduled, in full dosage, and in accordance with the required procedures.
Intervention feasibility mainly reflects whether the intervention is practically acceptable, implementable, and sustainable in the college students including aspects such as enjoyment, engagement motivation, and immersion experiences.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The experimental group (VR-TCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between).The control group (CTCI) received a 12-week training program, twice a week, each session lasting 100 minutes (with a 10-minute break in between).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Group | Experimental | Device: Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training |
| Conventional Tai Chi Group | Active comparator | Device: Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi TrainingParticipants receive conventional training in Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms through face-to-face instruction by physical education teachers for 12 weeks, with two 100-minute sessions per week. Training includes teacher-guided warm-up, standing stance exercises and Tai Chi practice, independent practice, and cool-down. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 22 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi TrainingParticipants receive a 12-week virtual reality-assisted program of Chen-style Tai Chi Essential 18 Forms, with two 100-minute sessions per week. Each session includes 5 minutes of preparation and VR device calibration, 10 minutes of VR-guided warm-up, 10 minutes of VR-guided standing stance training, 35 minutes of immersive VR interactive Tai Chi practice, 30 minutes of Tai Chi practice supported by VR playback, and 10 minutes of cool-down. Training progresses from individual forms to the complete 18-form sequence. | Device | Conventional Tai Chi Group, Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Group |
Primary outcome
1,000-meter run completion time in male participants 800-meter run completion time in female participants Number of sit-ups completed in one minute in female participants Standing long jump distance Sit-and-reach distance
Time frame: Baseline (before intervention) and Week 12 (end of intervention).
Cardiorespiratory endurance in male participants is assessed using a 1,000-meter run timed with a stopwatch. The outcome is the time required to complete the run, recorded in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better performance. Cardiorespiratory endurance in female participants is assessed using an 800-meter run timed with a stopwatch. The outcome is the time required to complete the run, recorded in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better performance. Muscular endurance in female participants is assessed using a one-minute sit-up test. The outcome is the number of correctly completed sit-ups within one minute. A higher number indicates better muscular endurance. Lower-limb explosive strength is assessed using the standing long jump test. Jump distance is measured using a measuring ruler and recorded in centimeters. A greater distance indicates better performance. Flexibility is assessed using a sit-and-reach instrument. The outcome is the reach distance, recor
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Total Score at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. The questionnaire includes seven items assessing symptoms over the preceding two weeks. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 21 points. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Total Score at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The questionnaire consists of nine items assessing symptoms over the preceding two weeks. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 27 points. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) Total Score at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Perceived stress will be assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), which assesses thoughts and feelings during the preceding month. Each item is scored from 0 to 4. Items 4, 5, 7, and 8 are reverse-scored before summing all items. The total score ranges from 0 to 40 points, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress. This outcome is the total score at Week 12, following completion of the 12-week intervention.
Male 1,000-Meter Run Title: 1,000-Meter Run Completion Time in Male Participants at Week 12
Time frame: Time Frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Description: Cardiorespiratory endurance in male participants will be assessed using a 1,000-meter run. The time required to complete the distance will be measured using a stopwatch and reported in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better running performance.
Female 800-Meter Run Title: 800-Meter Run Completion Time in Female Participants at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Cardiorespiratory endurance in female participants will be assessed using an 800-meter run. The time required to complete the distance will be measured using a stopwatch and reported in seconds. A shorter completion time indicates better running performance.
Male Push-Up Test Title: Number of Push-Ups Completed in One Minute by Male Participants at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Upper-body muscular endurance in male participants will be assessed using a 60-second push-up test. Participants will maintain a straight body position, lower the body until the elbows reach approximately 90 degrees of flexion or greater, and return to the starting position with the elbows extended. Only correctly completed repetitions will be counted. The timer will continue during brief pauses. The test will stop if the participant requests to stop or cannot safely continue; the completed repetitions and reason for early termination will be recorded. The outcome will be the number of valid repetitions completed, with a higher number indicating better performance.
Female One-Minute Sit-Up Test Title: Number of Sit-Ups Completed in One Minute by Female Participants at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Description: Abdominal muscular endurance in female participants will be assessed using a one-minute sit-up test. The number of correctly completed sit-ups within 60 seconds will be recorded. A valid repetition will be defined according to [specify the testing standard, including the starting position, required movement, and completion criteria]. The outcome will be reported as the number of valid repetitions. A higher number indicates better performance.
Title: Standing Long Jump Distance at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention
Lower-limb explosive performance will be assessed using a standing long jump test. Participants will jump forward from a stationary position using a two-foot take-off. Jump distance will be measured from the take-off line to the nearest landing contact point using a metric ruler and reported in centimeters. Participants will complete [number] valid trials, and the [best or mean] distance will be used as the outcome. A longer distance indicates better performance.
Body Fat Percentage at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Body fat percentage will be assessed using the InBody 230 body composition analyzer according to the manufacturer's measurement procedures. Body fat percentage is the estimated fat mass divided by total body mass, multiplied by 100, and will be reported as a percentage (%).
Sit-and-Reach Test Title: Sit-and-Reach Distance at Week 12
Time frame: Week 12 (end of the 12-week intervention)
Flexibility will be assessed using a sit-and-reach instrument. Participants will sit with their knees extended and reach forward with both hands. Reach distance will be recorded in centimeters relative to [specify the instrument's zero reference point]. Participants will complete [number] valid trials, and the [best or mean] distance will be used as the outcome. A higher recorded value indicates greater forward reach.
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 16 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality-Assisted Tai Chi Training in people with Health College Students, run by Xin Liu at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Oct 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 China. 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?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
1,000-meter run completion time in male participants 800-meter run completion time in female participants Number of sit-ups completed in one minute in female participants Standing long jump distance Sit-and-reach distance (time frame: Baseline (before intervention) and Week 12 (end of intervention).). The study lists 11 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 16 Oct 2026.