ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06234176PsyMot-DepUpdated Oct 30, 2026

Impact of Psychomotor Therapy on the Quality of Life in Depression

An interventional study of Personalised psychomotor therapy and Usual treatment in Major Depressive Disorder, sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Esquirol. Recruiting at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-30.

Sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Esquirol · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Apr 2024; still recruiting 2 years 7 months later.
Updated Oct 30, 2026Primary completion movedStudy completion movedGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
128
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
20 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The effectiveness of psychomotor therapy in improving clinical outcomes or quality of life for individuals with depression is unclear.

The investigators will assess how the participants' quality of life and psychomotor profile change over time.

The study aims to compare the quality of life at 3 months between patients who received 3 months of personalised psychomotor therapy in addition to standard treatment and those who received standard treatment alone.

The study lasted for 6 months, and the investigators expects a total of 128 people to participate in this research across several hospital establishments. This study evaluates the effectiveness of two types of treatment, divided into two randomly selected groups.

To participate, individuals must have a medical diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and be between the ages of 20 and 60.

They must have depressive symptoms with an HDRS score greater than 16 and provide informed consent. They must be treated or hospitalised at the Centre Hospitalier Esquirol or the Centre Hospitalier Henri Laborit (France).

After providing consent, they will undergo an initial clinical interview that evaluates anxiety, self-esteem, pleasure, and quality of life. The therapist assessed the participant's muscle tone, gross motor skills, praxis, manual dexterity, rhythm, processing of sensory information, and body image.

Following the assessment, the participant was randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group.

The experimental group received the usual treatment for depression and underwent psychomotor therapy once a week for 12 weeks.

The control group received the standard treatment for depression and underwent weekly telephone interviews.

An assessment is scheduled at 1 month to evaluate the participant's health status, including any changes to treatment and assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Another interim check-up is scheduled at 3 months to assess the patient's health status. The interview will also assess any changes to treatment, anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life, and psychomotor function.

A final visit will be scheduled at 6 months for an assessment of the participant's health. The interview will also assess any changes to treatment, anxiety and depressive symptoms, quality of life, and psychomotor function.

Read the detailed description

Hypothesis is that personalised weekly psychomotor therapy for 3 months (period of remission of depression) has a positive influence on the quality of life over time of people with MDD by improving their clinical (anxiety/anhedonia/psychomotor impairment) and psychomotor symptoms.

In this study, the investigators propose to compare the quality of life of two groups of participants: a group receiving one psychomotor therapy session per week in addition to the usual treatments for depression, and a group receiving the usual treatments for depression. The investigators will evaluate changes in quality of life and psychomotor profile over time (at 3 and 6 months).

Based on the results of our pilot study, the psychomotor examination will include an assessment of muscle tone, gross motor skills, praxis, manual dexterity, rhythm using the NP-MOT battery, sensory processing and body image.

Main objective To compare the quality of life at 3 months (M3) between MDD patients receiving 3 months of personalised psychomotor therapy in addition to standard treatment (GP) and those receiving standard treatment alone (GC).

Secondary objectives

  1. To compare changes in quality of life over time between D0/M3, D0/M6 and M3/M6 in patients in the GP and GC groups; a difference between the groups will be sought.
  2. Identify the psychomotor assessment items (tone, general motor skills, praxis, rhythm, body image, sensory profile) that differ at inclusion (D0) and 3 months (M3) between the GP and GC groups.
  3. To identify clinical factors of depression (intensity of depression, anxiety, psychomotor slowing, anhedonia) associated with a difference in psychomotor profile at M3 between the GP and GC groups.
  4. Identify items predictive of clinical improvement in depression based on psychomotor assessment items (tone, general motor skills, praxis, rhythm, body image, sensory profile) at 6 months (M6) in patients in the GP and GC groups.
  5. Evaluate at M3, in the GP group, the number of sessions completed and the therapeutic alliance using a scale.

Primary outcome measure Difference at M3 between the GP and GC groups in the quality of life score assessed using the SF-36 (Short-Form 36 Health Survey) scale.

Secondary outcome measures

  1. Difference between D0 and M3, D0 and M6, M3 and M6 in quality of life scores based on the SF-36.

    Change in Duke Health Profile scores over the 12 weeks of follow-up (S1 to S12).

  2. Number and nature of assessment items that differ at inclusion and 3 months between GP and GC using the Neuropsychomotor Function Assessment Battery (NP-MOT), Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Version 2 (MAIAI-2), Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) tools
  3. Depression intensity score on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), anxiety intensity score on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), psychomotor slowing down score on the CORE scale, anhedonia score on the SHAPS scale, and body image score on the QIC and MAIA-2 scales, sensory profile scores on the AASP scale, frequency of tonic-emotional manifestations, sub-scores of the NP-MOT battery, at M3.
  4. Clinical improvement score: 50% reduction in HDRS score, scores AASP, score QIC, score MAIA-2 and items sub-scores NP-MOT
  5. Total number of sessions and score on the French version of the Therapeutic Alliance Session Rating Scale at M3

The inclusion criteria for participants in this study are as follows: being between the ages of 20 and 60, having a diagnosis of major depressive disorder according to DSM-5 criteria, having a HDRS score greater than 16 indicating major symptoms, and being hospitalized or receiving care at one of the participating centres.

Additionally, participants must be affiliated with or benefiting from a social security scheme.

The participant and investigator must sign a written consent form that is both free and informed. This must be completed no later than the day of inclusion and before any required research examinations.

Non-inclusion criteria for this study are: psychiatric co-morbidity (excluding tobacco addiction, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and related disorders), sensory disability or known neurological pathology, history of neurological damage to the brain (especially strokes, tumours, trauma resulting in loss of consciousness lasting more than 10 minutes), and limited functional ability (difficulty moving about, performing manual tasks or moving about).

Participants may be excluded from the study if they are unable to understand the questionnaires or related information, unable to travel to the inclusion centre via personal vehicle or public transport, pregnant or breastfeeding (as declared), subject to compulsory hospitalisation or under guardianship or trusteeship, or lack social protection.

The research is conducted as follows:

  • Pre-selection by the coordinating investigator or co-investigator, validation of participation criteria by the referring doctor and information of participants by the referring doctor or coordinating investigator or staff associated with the research.
  • Reflection period: between 24 and 72 hours.
  • V0: Inclusion Collect of written consent, Socio-demographic data (age, sex, family situation, profession, place of residence, environment), psychiatric history, treatments received (medicinal and non-medicinal), etc.

Quality of life scale (SF36) Clinical assessments: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS); Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS); psychomotor slowing down scale (CORE), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (EES-10), Anhedonia Scale (SHAPS) Psychomotor assessment: sensory profile (AASP), body image (QIC, MAIA-2), tone (NP-MOT); general motor skills (NP-MOT), rhythm (NP-MOT); praxis (NP-MOT); manual dexterity (PPT) Randomisation: allocation of patients by drawing lots to the GP (personalised psychomotor therapy in addition to standard treatment) or GC (standard treatment) groups.

GP: Personalised psychomotor therapy: 1 psychomotor therapy session of 45 minutes per week for 12 weeks + Duke Health Scale.

The sessions will be based on static and dynamic body exercises involving muscle relaxation, breathing, sensations and moving the body. For each session the Session Rating Scale will be use.

GC: Usual care for 3 months with a weekly telephone interview + Duke's Health Scale.

  • V1: visit at 1 month ± 4 days for an interim assessment Treatments received and/or modified in the last 4 weeks Clinical assessments: HDRS; HARS; CORE, EES-10, SHAPS
  • V2: visit at 3 months ± 7 days Treatments received and/or modified in the last 3 months Clinical assessments: HDRS; HARS; CORE, EES-10, SHAPS Number of psychomotricity sessions performed Quality of life scale (SF36) Blind psychomotor assessment: AASP, QIC, MAIA-2, NP-MOT
  • V3: visit at 6 months ± 7 days Treatments received and/or modified in the last 3 months Clinical assessments: HDRS; HARS; CORE, EES-10, SHAPS Quality of life scale (SF36) Blind psychomotor assessment: AASP, QIC, MAIA-2, NP-MOT Participants in the GC group were offered 12 sessions of psychomotor therapy.

At V2, the psychomotor assessment will be carried out by a psychomotor therapist who has not provided psychomotor therapy to the participant.

02

Conditions studied

  • Major Depressive Disorder

Keywords

  • psychomotor therapy
  • quality of life
  • major depressive disorder
  • psychomotor profile
  • sensory processing
03

In context

Depressive Disorder, Major

3,041 studies on the registry are indexed under Depressive Disorder, Major; 588 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 128 is above the median of 79 across 2,530 interventional studies indexed under Depressive Disorder, Major.

Browse Depressive Disorder, Major studies →

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Esquirol is the lead sponsor of 25 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of depressive episode according to criteria.
  • HDRS > 16
  • Hospitalized or followed-up in one of the participating centers.
  • Affiliated or beneficiary of a social security scheme.
  • Free, informed and written consent signed by the participant and the investigator (no later than the day of inclusion and before any examination required by the research).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Psychiatric comorbidity (non-tobacco addiction, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and related disorders)
  • Sensory impairment or proven neurological pathology
  • History of neurological brain damage (including stroke, tumor, trauma resulting in loss of consciousness lasting more than 10 minutes)
  • Limited functional ability (difficulty in moving about, performing manual tasks or moving about)
  • Inability to understand questionnaires and study information
  • Inability to travel to the inclusion center (personal vehicle, public transport)
  • Pregnant or breast-feeding women, on declaration
  • Forced hospitalization, subjects under guardianship or trusteeship, lack of social protection
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

DSM diagnostic criteria

The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
128 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Personalised psychomotor therapy group

    1 psychomotor therapy session of 45 minutes per week for 12 weeks + Duke Health Scale.

    Behavioral: Personalised psychomotor therapy

  • Active comparator
    Usual treatment group

    Standard treatment for depression administered by a doctor + a weekly telephone interview for 12 weeks to administer the Duke Health Scale.

    Other: Usual treatment

Interventions

  • BehavioralPersonalised psychomotor therapy

    The content of the sessions will be personalised and determined solely by a qualified psychomotor therapist in charge of the patient, based on each participant's individual psychomotor profile, as determined from the initial assessment. The 12 sessions will take place with the same PT in a dedicated room at the centre where the patient is being treated. The sessions will consist of a range of playful static and dynamic body exercises, including exercises for emotional and tonic regulation, tonic-postural adaptation, and perceptual-motor adaptation. Not all participants in the GP group will have the same progression, nature or frequency of exercises over the 12 sessions. The study only allows for individual treatment. Other therapeutic approaches such as balneotherapy sessions, animal mediation, adapted physical activity programmes or targeted relaxation programmes are not permitted. During each session, the participant will be required to complete the Duke health profile.

    Also known as: GP

  • OtherUsual treatment

    Participants in the GC group will continue to receive their usual depression treatment without any changes to their prescribed therapies. Their participation in the study will involve weekly monitoring of their quality of life using the Duke scale. A nurse or psychomotor therapist will conduct this monitoring during a weekly fifteen-minute telephone interview. The follow-up will begin one week after the inclusion visit and will last for 12 weeks. Telephone appointments will be scheduled jointly with the participant based on their availability.

    Also known as: GC

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in quality of life assessed using the Short-Form 36 Health Survey

    Difference between GP and GC groups in quality of life score

    Time frame: at 3 month

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference in time of quality of life using the Short-Form 36 Health Survey

    Difference between D0 and M3, D0 and M6, M3 and M6 in quality of life scores

    Time frame: first day to 6th month

  2. Evolution of quality of life using the Duke health profile

    Evolution of Duke health profile scores from week 1 to week 12 in both GP and GC groups

    Time frame: first day to 6th month

  3. Difference in psychomotor profile

    Number and nature of assessment items that differ at 1 and 3 months between GP and GC using NP-MOT, QIC, MAIA-2, AASP tools

    Time frame: 3th and 6 th month

  4. Description of depression intensity using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale

    clinical improvement concerning depression low score to Hamilton Depression Rating Scale indicate a low depressive intensity

    Time frame: at 3 month

  5. Description of anxiety intensity using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale

    clinical improvement concerning anxiety low score to Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale indicate a low anxiety intensity

    Time frame: at 3 month

  6. Description of psychomotor slowing using the CORE scale

    clinical improvement concerning psychomotor slowing low score to CORE Scale indicate a low psychomotor slowing

    Time frame: at 3 month

  7. Description of anhedonia using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale

    clinical improvement concerning anhedonia low score to Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale indicate a low anhedonia intensity

    Time frame: at 3 month

  8. Description of body image using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness

    clinical improvement concerning body image low score to Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness indicate a low interoceptive awarness

    Time frame: at 3 month

  9. Description of sensory profile using the Adolescent Adult Sensory Profile

    clinical improvement concerning sensory profile The AASP is composed by four subscores * norm for low registration subcore is between 24-35 * norm for sensation seeking subcore is between 43-56 * norm for lsensory sensitivity subcore is between 26-41 * norm for sensation avoiding subcore is between 27-41

    Time frame: at 3 month

  10. Frequency of tonic-emotional manifestations

    observed reactions: awkward gestures, reassurance gestures, fixed smile, facial rictus, rigid body posture, contorting, stiffening, slightly theatrical posture, emotional uncontrol, neurovegetative manifestations: presence or absence

    Time frame: at 3 month

  11. Frequency of psychomotor impairment using the NP-MOT battery

    Time frame: at 3 month

  12. Frequency of sessions

    Therapeutic alliance is mesured by number of sessions completed by GP participants out of 12 planned sessions. Session Rating Scale scores for the 12 sessions completed by GP participants.

    Time frame: at 3 month

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Pouilloux G, Henault M, Vinais T, Bodeau N, Laplace B, Paquet A. Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial for the effectiveness of psychomotor therapy on quality of life and psychomotor skills in depression. BMC Psychiatry. 2026 Sep 9;26(1):711. doi: 10.1186/s12888-026-08347-9. PubMed 42717325 ↗
09

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Primary completion
Aug 2026→Feb 2027
Oct 30, 2026
Study completion
Aug 2026→Nov 2027
Oct 30, 2026
Publications
1 publication citing this study linked from PubMed, e.g. PubMed 42717325 ↗
Oct 30, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 30, 2026
    Publications 1 publication citing this study linked from PubMed, e.g. PubMed 42717325 ↗
    Primary completion Aug 2026→Feb 2027
    Study completion Aug 2026→Nov 2027
    + 3 other changes: verification date, site details and index terms

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06234176
Lead sponsor
Centre Hospitalier Esquirol
Collaborators
Direction Générale de l'Offre de Soins
Responsible party
Aude Paquet (Psychomotor Therapist, Psychology PhD, Centre Hospitalier Esquirol) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 31, 2024
Start date
Apr 1, 2024
Primary completion
Feb 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Nov 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 30, 2026

Study contacts

Aude PAQUET, Dr
Contact
aude.paquet@ch-esquirol-limoges.fr
+33555431127

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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