An interventional study of High-Intensity Interval Training (1 × 4) in Anxiety, Depression and Mental Health, sponsored by University Hospital of North Norway. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Norway. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-07.
Sponsored by University Hospital of North Norway · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to investigate the feasibility of conducting a high-intensity interval training intervention among adult inpatients in a psychiatric care setting and to explore changes in mental health symptoms.
Participants are randomized to either high-intensity interval training or treatment as usual. Participants in the intervention group complete a 1 × 4-minute high-intensity interval training program on a treadmill three times per week for two weeks. Participants in the control group receive treatment as usual.
Anxiety and depression symptoms and general mental health are assessed before and after the intervention period. Feasibility is assessed by recruitment rate and participant dropout.
5,063 studies on the registry are indexed under Anxiety Disorders; 1,408 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 10 is below the median of 80 across 4,339 interventional studies indexed under Anxiety Disorders.
Browse Anxiety Disorders studies →University Hospital of North Norway is the lead sponsor of 151 studies on the registry; 24 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
- Somatic conditions incompatible with high-intensity exercise, including cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal conditions, or pulmonary disease
Participants receive high-intensity interval training (1 × 4) on a treadmill three times per week for two weeks, for a total of six sessions. Each session consists of a 10-minute warm-up, followed by one 4-minute high-intensity interval at 85-95% of maximum heart rate, and a 5-minute cool-down.
Behavioral: High-Intensity Interval Training (1 × 4)
Participants assigned to this group receive treatment as usual (TAU) and continue with the usual activities and procedures provided during their psychiatric inpatient stay. No additional exercise intervention is provided as part of the study.
Behavioral: High-Intensity Interval Training (1 × 4)
Participants complete high-intensity interval training on a treadmill three times per week for two weeks, for a total of six sessions. Each session consists of a 10-minute warm-up, followed by one 4-minute high-intensity interval at 85-95% of maximum heart rate, and a 5-minute cool-down, for a total duration of 19 minutes. Heart rate is monitored continuously using a chest strap and heart rate monitor. The training sessions are supervised by an exercise physiologist.
Change in Anxiety and Depression Symptom
Anxiety and depression symptoms are assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). HADS consists of 14 items divided into two 7-item subscales: HADS-A for anxiety and HADS-D for depression.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the two-week intervention period.
Feasibility: Recruitment Rate
Feasibility of conducting a high-intensity interval training study among psychiatric inpatients will be assessed by the recruitment rate. The number of participants recruited to the study will be recorded in relation to the planned sample size of 10 participants.
Time frame: Throughout the study recruitment period
Feasibility: Participant Dropout
Feasibility of conducting a high-intensity interval training study among psychiatric inpatients will be assessed by participant dropout. The number and proportion of enrolled participants who discontinue the study before completing the study procedures will be recorded.
Time frame: From enrollment through completion of the two-week study period
Change in General Mental Health
General mental health is assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), assessing stress and subjective well-being
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the two-week intervention period.
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be publicly shared due to the small sample size and the potentially sensitive nature of the data collected from psychiatric inpatients, which may increase the risk of participant identification.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jan 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 23 months after the start.
Of 2,720 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Anxiety Disorders, half reached primary completion within 13 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 31. This study's planned 23 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 2,789 studies reached it within 12 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 30.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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 ↗
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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