Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of a Hatha Yoga-in Patients Hospitalized for Schizophrenia

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Hatha Yoga-on Reminiscence Functions and Mindfulness in Patients Hospitalized for Schizophrenia

The current study aims to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a Hatha yoga-based group intervention on reminiscence functions and mindfulness in a sample of patients hospitalized for schizophrenia.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: SCHIZOPHRENIA 1 (Disorder); Hospitalized Adult Patients
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Intervention Arm: Hatha Yoga

Detailed Description

This study employs a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. Convenience sampling will be used to recruit 36 participants for a cross-culturally adapted Hatha yoga-based group intervention (16 one hour-long sessions over 8 weeks). Feasibility indicators will be monitored systematically. Acceptability will be assessed using semi-structured interviews. Preliminary effectiveness will be evaluated using a quasi-experimental one-group pre-post test design to test group-level (paired t-test) and individual-level (reliability change index) changes in mindfulness and reminiscence functions. Thematic analysis will be conducted to analyze qualitative data, with meta-inference used to integrate the qualitative and quantitative findings.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Abdallah F Abu Khait, Ph.D, MSN; Phone Number: +962792269831; Email: abdallah.abukhait@hu.edu.jo
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Austin Menger, PhD; Phone Number: 516-220-7313; Email: austin@mengeranalytics.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients are diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the DSM-5-TR or ICD-10 criteria
• Patients are aged between 18 and 65 years old
• Patients are clinically stabile, defined as being in the post-acute phase of care with no acute psychotic episode or psychiatric hospitalization within the 30 days preceding enrollment
• Patients have adequate cognitive functioning, as evidenced by passing the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), with sufficient insight and capacity to respond meaningfully to study procedures
• Patients have the ability to attend group-based sessions and provide informed consent
• Patients have the willingness and physical ability to engage safely in light-to-moderate yoga practice.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with severe cognitive impairment or intellectual disability that would disqualify meaningful participation
• Patients with acute psychiatric symptoms or active suicidal ideation
• Patients with physical limitations, such as a severe musculoskeletal condition, that would contraindicate safe participation in yoga practice.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Experimental; Hatha Yoga-Based Group Intervention

Behavioral: Intervention Arm: Hatha Yoga; Hatha Yoga balances the body's "sun" (ha) and "moon" (tha) energies to promote physical, mental, and emotional wellness. There will be eight two-hour Hatha yoga-based group therapy sessions over eight weeks. A professional yoga teacher and mental health nurse will lead these helpful sessions. Better memory and alertness are the major goals. To ensure participant safety and study validity, a multidisciplinary team assesses health, trauma triggers, and personal goals before the program begins. The lessons are held in a comfortable area with adjustable props and lighting. Trainers employ trauma-sensitive language and retain privacy on all participants, including "Hesitant" and "Overwhelmed." Each session includes grounding, pranayama, asana, and dhyana.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15 (FFMQ-15)	The Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15 is a 15-item self-report measure assessing five domains: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 to 5. Total scores range from 15 to 75. Higher scores indicate higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, reflecting a better outcome.	12 weeks
Feasibility Indicators: Recruitment Retention Attrition Adherence Data completeness Adverse events.	Recruitment rate: Percentage of eligible participants enrolled during the 10-week recruitment period, calculated as the number who provide written consent divided by the total eligible participants approached, multiplied by 100.; Retention rate: Percentage of enrolled participants who complete the week 10 assessment, calculated as completers divided by total enrolled at baseline, multiplied by 100.; Attrition rate: Percentage of participants who withdraw before week 10, calculated as discontinuations divided by total enrolled, multiplied by 100.; Adherence: Attendance rate across scheduled sessions, calculated as sessions attended divided by total sessions, multiplied by 100.; Data completeness: Percentage of completed outcome assessment items at baseline and week 10, calculated as completed items divided by total expected items, multiplied by 100.; Adverse events: Number and proportion of participants experiencing adverse events during the intervention period.	10 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The 18-item Tripartite Adjusted Arabic Reminiscence Functions Scale (AARFS-tri)	The 18-item Tripartite Adjusted Arabic Reminiscence Functions Scale assesses three core reminiscence functions: positive reminiscence, negative reminiscence, and social reminiscence. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale from 1, never, to 6, very often. Total scores range from 18 to 108, with higher total scores indicating greater overall use of reminiscence functions. The scale includes three 6-item subscales. The Positive Reminiscence Subscale measures adaptive functions such as identity consolidation, meaning making, problem solving, and positive emotion regulation, with scores ranging from 6 to 36, where higher scores reflect more frequent use of adaptive reminiscence strategies. The Negative Reminiscence Subscale assesses maladaptive functions such as rumination, regret, bitterness revival, and mood worsening, with scores ranging from 6 to 36, where higher scores indicate more frequent maladaptive reminiscence patterns.	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Hashemite University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Abdallah Abu Khait, Ph.D.,MSN, The Hashemite University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 3, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 3, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 17/4/2024/2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No