Clinical trials

This research aims to explore whether a single-session solution-focused consultation (SSC) can increase mental health service engagement among patients with comorbid chronic physical diseases and mental health problems (CPDMHP).

This research study is testing two self-care approaches that may help prevent or reduce period pain in young females with recurrent painful menstrual cramps. Participants will be placed by chance into 1 of 3 groups: auricular acupressure, Baduanjin qigong, or a self-care education comparison group. The auricular acupressure and Baduanjin groups will receive online training and then practice the treatment on their own for 12 weeks. The main question is whether these two approaches can reduce the severity of menstrual pain. The study will also look at whether they can improve other symptoms that often happen with period pain, such as tiredness, poor sleep, anxiety, low mood, trouble concentrating, and reduced physical function. Researchers will also study stool and blood-related biological markers to better understand whether changes in gut bacteria and body metabolism may be linked to symptom improvement. A total of 145 participants will take part in the study at NTU, and any side effects or other safety concerns will be checked every week.

The investigators' previous research identified two distinct subtypes of Cognitive Flexibility (CF), termed CF1 (shifting flexibility) and CF2 (strategy flexibility). The present study aims to determine whether these forms of CF can be trained, how they differ, and the extent to which improvements transfer to broader learning and cognitive skills. In addition, social functioning outcomes and the extent to which social factors moderate the effects of cognitive flexibility training are assessed. The investigators will employ a multi-modal approach combining cognitive-behavioural and neuroimaging methods to examine how brain mechanisms and cognitive performance change following CF-targeted training intervention (Structure learning) compared with active control and a no-training paradigm (passive control).

This research aims to ask (1) Are child and parent measures of coping skills, anxiety and other outcomes reliable (2) How feasible and acceptable is the proposed CB preventative program and protocol (3) Can a preliminary indication of efficacy for CB preventative program be provided.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy works to improve sports performance and recovery in athletes. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does PEMF therapy enhance participants' performance during exercise? * Does PEMF therapy enhance recovery in participants after exercise? Researchers will compare active PEMF therapy to sham PEMF therapy (using the same device for both, but without any electromagnetic fields) to see if active PEMF therapy is effective in improving sports performance and recovery. Participants will: * Receive active pulsed electromagnetic field therapy or sham pulsed electromagnetic field therapy twice a week for 8 weeks. * Visit the laboratory at baseline, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks for sports performance and recovery assessments.

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electro-acupuncture for obese patients with insulin resistance. 60 participants will be randomized and allocated to either the electro-acupuncture arm or the sham acupuncture arm.

The goal of this interventional study is to assess whether a peer coaching intervention (PEER) can improve the well-being in individuals who experienced a stroke. The main questions it aims to answer are 1. Is the PEER intervention feasible and acceptable for the intervention recipients who receive the intervention? 2. Is the PEER intervention feasible and acceptable for the peer coaches who deliver the intervention? 3. Do intervention recipients show a higher level of quality of life at immediate, 4-week, and 8-week post-intervention? 4. Do intervention recipients display increases in measures of psycho-social-spiritual well-being at immediate, 4-week, and 8-week post-intervention? Peer coach participants will a) take training sessions, b) deliver 5 coaching sessions to an intervention recipient participant, c) complete surveys before training, after training, and after intervention delivery, and d) participate in a personal interview Intervention recipient participants will a) attend 5 coaching sessions delivered by a peer coach participant, b) complete surveys before intervention, immediately post intervention, 4-week post intervention, and 8 week post-intervention, and c) participate in a personal interview.

The current research aims to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the Strong Families Through Art Therapy (SFAT) programme, which was developed to improve the parent-child relationship in vulnerable families. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is the programme effective in enhancing quality of life and family resilience among parents? 2. Is the programme effective in enhancing quality of life among children? 3. Is the programme feasible and acceptable for large scale implementation in Singapore? Researchers will compare the status of family participants (caregivers and children) before and after they take the programme and compare family participants who take the programme with family participants who have not yet taken the programme to see if the programme is effective in benefiting the participants. Researchers will also invite family participants to discuss about the programme. Family participants will 1. Take the 10-week SFAT programme 2. Complete assessment survey for 3 times 3. Attend a focus group discussion (optional) To assess the programme feasibility, researchers will additional invite art therapist participants to evaluate the programme and invite community staff participants to discuss about the programme implementation. Art therapist participants will complete programme and session evaluation reports. Community staff participants will attend a focus group discussion.

The goal of this randomised controlled trial is to investigate the effects of a 2-week high-frequency transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) on cognitive outcomes in older and healthy adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Would a single session of anodal tPCS over the left prefrontal cortex improve working memory, task inhibition, and task switching in healthy young and older adults, compared to anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and sham-tPCS? 2. Would repeated session of anodal-tPCS (2-weeks) lead to improvements in working memory, task inhibition, and task switching in healthy young and older adults, compared to tDCS and sham-tPCS? 3. Will tPCS be better tolerated among healthy adults, compared to tDCS? Researchers will compare tPCS / tDCS / sham-tPCS to see if there are any differences in cognitive outcomes after 1 session and after repeated sessions, as well as to compare the tolerance of tPCS against tDCS and sham-tPCS. Participants will be requested to: * Undergo 1 of 3 of the following conditions: tDCS / tPCS / sham-tPCS * Complete three sessions of cognitive tasks testing working memory, inhibition and task switching at baseline (pre-stimulation), after day 1 of brain stimulation and after 10 sessions of brain stimulation (post- repeated stimulation) * Undergo fNIRS-EEG brain measurements concurrently with the cognitive tasks

This observational study will employ a multi-modal observation methodology, integrating data from wearable devices and smartphones to establish comprehensive digital biomarkers for identifying symptoms of mental health conditions in university students. The study aims to identify the digital behavioural markers associated with mental health conditions, develop predictive algorithms for mental health states from digital markers, and identify university students at risk for mental health conditions.

The ARCH programme is a novel, strength-based, dyadic, multicomponent psychosocial intervention that blends together psychoeducation, psychosocial support and self-compassion practices to aid first-time stroke survivors and their family caregivers with their psycho-socio-emotional and spiritual challenges following discharge from in-patient care. A pre-post experimental design with a feasibility and acceptability assessment is adopted to evaluate and refine the ARCH intervention in promoting wellbeing, self-compassion, independence, quality of life, hope, resilience, self-efficacy and dyadic mutuality.