An experimental study investigating the effects of Tai Chi practice on suboptimal mental health among Chinese university students
Keywords:
Chinese college students, mental health, suboptimal mental health, Tai ChiAbstract
To investigate the impact of Tai Chi practice on improving suboptimal mental health among Chinese university students, and to provide a theoretical reference for enhancing the mental health status of college students. A total of 100 first-year students enrolled in a Tai Chi course at Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected as subjects for this study. They underwent a 16-week standardized 24-form Tai Chi intervention. The psychological sub health sections of 85 completed copies of the Multidimensional Assessment Questionnaire for Sub-health in Adolescents were collected. Results from the paired-sample t-test indicated that the total score for suboptimal mental health decreased from 148.76 ± 23.14 to 144.82 ± 22.06 post-intervention, with a mean reduction of 3.94 points. This suggests that Tai Chi practice has an improving effect on the state of suboptimal mental health. The suboptimal mental health scale comprises three dimensions: emotional problems, behavioral problems, and social adaptation difficulties. Further data from paired-sample t-tests showed improvements across all these dimensions among the university students. Tai Chi practice demonstrates a significant positive effect on improving the state of suboptimal mental health in university students, indicating the necessity of promoting Tai Chi within higher education institutions.
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