An RCT-reticulated meta-analysis of six MBE therapies affecting college students' negative psychology.
Haojie Li, Zhihao Du, Shunze Shen, Wenya Du, Junhao Kang, Deming Gong
iScience July 21, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107026
Summary
Mind-body movement therapies significantly enhance mental health among college students. In a study of various therapies, Tai Chi, yoga, Yi Jin Jing, Five Animal Play, and Qigong Meditation demonstrated substantial reductions in depressive symptoms, with effect sizes ranging from -0.87 to -1.31. Anxiety symptoms also improved notably, with Tai Chi and Yi Jin Jing showing effect sizes of -7.18 and -9.21, respectively. These findings highlight the effectiveness of mind-body exercises in addressing anxiety and depression within this population, promoting better public health and psychological well-being.
Abstract
The positive impact of mind-body movement therapy on mental health has been confirmed, but the current effect of various mind-body movement-specific therapies on improving the negative psychology of college students is controversial. This study compared the effects of six mind-body exercise (MBE) therapies on improving negative psychological symptoms in college students. The study found that Tai Chi (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] (-1.59, -0.15), p < 0.05), yoga (SMD = -0.95, 95% CI (-1.74, -0.15), p < 0.05), Yi Jin Jing (SMD = -1.15, 95% CI (-2.36, -0.05), p=<0.05), Five Animal Play (SMD = -1.1, 95% CI (-2.09, -0.02), p < 0.05), and Qigong Meditation (SMD = -1.31, 95% CI (-2.2, -0.4), p < 0.05) improved depressive symptoms in college students (p < 0.05). Tai Chi (SMD = -7.18, 95% CI (-13.18, -1.17), p = 0.019), yoga (SMD = -6.8, 95% CI (-11.79, -1.81), p = 0.008), and Yi Jin Jing (SMD = -9.21, 95% CI (-17.55, -0.87), p = 0.03) improved college students' anxiety symptoms. It shows that the six MBE therapies are effective in improving anxiety and depression in college students.