Baxter Alex, J P Francis Andrew
RMIT University, Bundoora, 3083, Australia.
J Complement Integr Med. 2013 May 24;10:/j/jcim.2013.10.issue-1/jcim-2012-0008/jcim-2012-0008.xml. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2012-0008.
Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese medicine practice and martial art with biopsychosocial aspects. This study aimed to examine the impact of participation in TCC on multiple domains of Quality of Life (QoL) and to assess the involvement of the psychological factors of self-efficacy, Locus of Control (LoC) and Hope in these effects. A total of 68 participants from the general community (13 males and 55 females) aged between 18 and 68 (M=43.55 years) and not currently suffering from a mental or physical illness took part in the study. It was found that TCC participants, as a group, scored significantly better than those in sedentary (book club) and active (gym exercise) control conditions on Psychological and Physical QoL, and that the Physical QoL benefits of TCC continue to accrue with years of practice. The three psychological factors were shown to variously mediate (self-efficacy) and moderate (internal LoC and Hope) this latter relationship. Whilst the results bear limitations (in particular small sample sizes), it is hoped that these findings will encourage further research into TCC, and consideration of TCC as part of the range of treatment options available in community-based mental and physical health management.
太极拳（TCC）是一种具有生物心理社会层面的传统中医疗法和武术。本研究旨在探讨参与太极拳对生活质量（QoL）多个领域的影响，并评估自我效能感、控制点（LoC）和希望等心理因素在这些影响中的作用。共有68名来自普通社区的参与者（13名男性和55名女性），年龄在18至68岁之间（平均年龄43.55岁），目前未患有精神或身体疾病，参与了本研究。结果发现，作为一个群体，太极拳参与者在心理和身体生活质量方面得分显著高于久坐不动（读书俱乐部）和积极运动（健身房锻炼）的对照组，并且太极拳对身体生活质量的益处会随着多年的练习而持续增加。这三个心理因素被证明分别在不同程度上介导（自我效能感）和调节（内控点和希望）了后一种关系。虽然研究结果存在局限性（特别是样本量较小），但希望这些发现将鼓励对太极拳进行进一步研究，并考虑将太极拳作为社区心理健康和身体健康管理中可用治疗选择的一部分。
