Institute of Physical Education, Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Postgraduate Program in Exercise and Sport Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
PLoS One. 2024 Nov 1;19(11):e0312804. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312804. eCollection 2024.
College students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, face substantial psychological stress. This study investigates the impact of Tai Chi (TC) practice on anxiety levels and theta oscillatory power activation characteristics among college students, aiming to provide empirical evidence for their psychological well-being.
In this randomized controlled trial with 45 healthy college students, brainwave activity and changes in anxiety levels were measured. A 2 (TC group vs control group)×2 (pre-test vs post-test) factorial design was analyzed to explore TC's regulatory effects on brainwave activity and anxiety.
Following 12 weeks of TC practice, the TC group exhibited a significant decrease in state-trait anxiety differences (-6.14±14.33), state anxiety differences (-3.45±7.57), and trait anxiety differences (-2.68±7.43), contrasting with an increase in the control group. Moreover, contrasting with a decrease in the control group, TC group demonstrated significance increased theta oscillatory power in C3, C4, F4, P3, T7, and T8, and a significant negative correlations were observed between state anxiety and F4-θ (r = -0.31, p = 0.04), T7-θ (r = -0.43, p = 0.01), and T8-θ (r = -0.30, p = 0.05).
The positive influence of TC on college students' psychological well-being and brain function is evident, leading to reduced anxiety levels and increased theta oscillatory activity. While encouraging further research to delve into the mechanisms of TC on anxiety and theta brainwave characteristics, the study recommends actively promoting TC practice among college students to enhance mental health and address post-pandemic psychological challenges.
大学生，尤其是在 COVID-19 大流行期间，面临着巨大的心理压力。本研究旨在探讨太极拳（TC）练习对大学生焦虑水平和θ振荡功率激活特征的影响，为他们的心理健康提供实证依据。
在这项针对 45 名健康大学生的随机对照试验中，测量了脑电波活动和焦虑水平的变化。采用 2（TC 组与对照组）×2（前测与后测）的因子设计来探讨 TC 对脑电波活动和焦虑的调节作用。
经过 12 周的 TC 练习，TC 组的状态-特质焦虑差异（-6.14±14.33）、状态焦虑差异（-3.45±7.57）和特质焦虑差异（-2.68±7.43）显著降低，而对照组则有所增加。此外，与对照组的下降相比，TC 组在 C3、C4、F4、P3、T7 和 T8 处的θ振荡功率显著增加，并且状态焦虑与 F4-θ（r=-0.31，p=0.04）、T7-θ（r=-0.43，p=0.01）和 T8-θ（r=-0.30，p=0.05）之间呈显著负相关。
TC 对大学生心理健康和大脑功能的积极影响明显，可降低焦虑水平，增加θ振荡活动。在鼓励进一步研究深入探讨 TC 对焦虑和θ脑电波特征的机制的同时，本研究建议积极在大学生中推广 TC 练习，以增强心理健康并应对后疫情时代的心理挑战。
