The effectiveness of Tai Chi on the physical and psychological well-being of college students: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials

Qianying Fang²  Bai Chen²  Xin Zheng²  Junzhe Li²  Jing Tao²  Lidian Chen⁴  Hui Lin³  Kun Ling³  Moyi Li²  Xiulu Lan²  Guohua Zheng¹ 

[1] Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, HuaTuo Road, Fuzhou 350122, China;Rehabilitation Medicine College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, HuaTuo Road, Fuzhou 350122, China;Department of Physical Education, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, HuaTuo Road, Fuzhou 350122, China;Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, HuaTuo Road, Fuzhou 350122, China

关键词: Physical health;    Psychological well-being;    College students;    Tai Chi Chuan;   

Others  :  806851
DOI  :  10.1186/1745-6215-15-129

 received in 2013-11-06, accepted in 2014-03-20,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The physical and mental health of college-age youths tends to continuously decline around the world. It is therefore important to promote health during this period. As a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) may be an available selection. However for the college student population, the evidence is unclear as to whether TCC can be recommended as an effective exercise for promoting their physical and psychological wellbeing. Therefore high quality, rigorous, prospective, and well-controlled randomized trials are needed to further understand TCC serving as a psychological and physical intervention in college age populations.

Method/Design

We designed a randomized, single-blind, parallel-controlled trial with a sample size of 206 participants. All the participants who meet the inclusion criteria come from Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (FJTCM). Participants of the TCC training group will receive TCC training at a frequency of five days per week for one hour per day for 12 weeks. No specific exercise will be administered on the participants in the control group. Both physical and mental health outcomes, including balance ability, lower limb proprioception, flexibility, physical fitness, self-efficacy, psychological symptoms, attention span, stress, self-esteem, mood and mindfulness, quality of life, and quality of sleep. Safety outcomes will be evaluated by blinded operators at baseline, 12 and 24-weeks post-intervention.

Discussion

This protocol presents an objective design of a randomized, single-blind trial that will test the effectiveness and safety of TCC on the physical and psychological wellbeing of college students. If the outcome is positive, the results will provide higher quality evidence of TCC on the physical and mental health of college age populations.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-13003328.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Zheng et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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