# Development and Pilot Testing of a Combined SMART and Tai Chi Intervention for Asian Americans with Depression and Somatic Symptoms

> **NIH NIH R34** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2024 · $750,079

## Abstract

Abstract
 Asian Americans (AAs) have a distinct pattern of underutilization of mental health services,
characterized by delayed onset of treatment and higher attrition rates. Many depressed AAs experience
distressing somatic symptoms and focus on these symptoms more than on emotional symptoms. Depressed
patients with somatic distresses have been found to have approximately twice the outpatient and inpatient
medical care utilization and twice the annual medical care costs than non-somatizing patients. Yet, there is no
effective treatment for patients with co-occurring depression and distressing somatic symptoms. According to
embodied cognition frameworks, the mind influences the body and vice versa. Emotions impact somatic
sensations, and physical movements and shapes also impact emotions, such that integrating emotion-focused
“top-down” mind-body interventions with body-focused “bottom-up” mind-body interventions may optimize the
effectiveness of existing treatments. In this study, we leverage the embodied cognition framework to integrate
the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART), a cognitive and emotion-focused, sedentary
intervention, with Qigong/Tai Chi (QTC), a somatic-focused, mind-body movement intervention, to develop
SMART-QTC, a holistic treatment for AAs with depression and distressing somatic symptoms. Guided by the
ORBIT model for developing behavioral treatments, we propose to develop and pilot test SMART-QTC
intervention for AAs with co-occurring major depressive disorder (MDD) and distressing somatic symptoms by:
(1) recruiting AAs patients with co-occurring MDD and somatic symptoms, and recruiting a stakeholder
advisory board, to identify needs, preferences, and key intervention components, (2) develop an integrated
SMART-QTC treatment manual, and (3) test feasibility and acceptability of the intervention in a pilot
randomized trial (RCT). The proposed project will provide new scientific knowledge to develop a future efficacy
trial of SMART-QTC for AAs with co-occurring MDD and distressing somatic symptoms, which will inform
future research on the development of combined psychological and physical movement interventions for other
culturally diverse populations and conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10973464
- **Project number:** 1R34AT012922-01
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Albert S. Yeung
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $750,079
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10973464

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10973464, Development and Pilot Testing of a Combined SMART and Tai Chi Intervention for Asian Americans with Depression and Somatic Symptoms (1R34AT012922-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10973464. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*