A Tai Chi Beginner Course Improves Depression and Physical Well-being
 
May 23, 2016 - The latest issue of Brain and Behavior reported a Swiss study that investigated the potential preventive effects of Tai Chi practice in healthy individuals with regard to their depressive symptoms and physical well-being.

Seventy healthy Tai Chi novices were randomly assigned to a Tai Chi intervention group, taking beginner-level Yang-Style Tai Chi for 12 weeks with 2 hours per week, or a control group comprised of the waiting list for the course. The included participants had a mean age of 35.5 years. Self-reported symptoms of depression and physical well-being were assessed at baseline, at the end of the intervention, as well as 2 months later.

Physical well-being in the Tai Chi group significantly increased when comparing baseline to follow-up. Pearson's correlation coefficients displayed a strong negative relationship between self-reported symptoms of depression and physical well-being.

In this randomized controlled trial, the scientists found significant evidence that a Tai Chi beginner course of 3 months duration elicits positive effects with respect to physical well-being in healthy individuals, with improvements pronouncing over time. Physical well-being was shown to have a strong relationship with depressive symptoms.

Based on these results, the consideration of Tai Chi as one therapeutic option in the development of multimodal approaches in the prevention of depression seems justifiable.