Open Access

ARTICLE

Preventive Efects of Tai Chi on Depression and Perceived Stress in HealthyOlder South Korean Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Ye Hoon Lee¹, Yoonjung Park^2,*
1 Division of Global Sport Industry, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Gyeonggi-do, 17035, Republic of Korea
2 Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
* Corresponding Author: Yoonjung Park. Email: ypark10@uh.edu
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: From Tradition to High-Intensity: Examining the Psychological and Emotional Impacts of Exercise Types)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.069800

Received 01 July 2025; Accepted 15 August 2025; Published online 29 August 2025

Abstract

Objectives: Population aging is occurring at a rapid speed all over the world, bringing considerablepublic health challenges, including for the mental health of older adults. Considering that older populations are proneto depression and stress, the need for efective preventive interventions is critical. Tus, we conducted a study aimedat exploring the preventive impact of a community-based Tai Chi program over 8 weeks on depression and perceivedstress in healthy older adults in South Korea. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized, with 63 olderadults participating (31 individuals in the Tai Chi group and 32 in the control group). Te Tai Chi intervention wasa supervised session 3 times per week. Data were obtained anonymously at baseline and post-intervention (week 8),with validated measures, including the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Korean version of the Brief EncounterPsychosocial Instrument. Data analysis included frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and repeated measuresanalysis of variance to examine group× time interaction efects. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparablebetween groups. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed signifcant group× time interaction efects fordepression (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.868, F₁, 57 = 8.63, p = 0.005, partial η² = 0.13) and perceived stress (Wilks’ Lambda= 0.831, F₁, 57 = 11.62, p = 0.001, partial η² = 0.17). In particular, participants in the Tai Chi group had signifcantlygreater reductions in depression and perceived stress than participants in the control group. Conclusions: Tese resultssuggest that Tai Chi may contribute to more favorable changes in depression and perceived stress among healthy olderadults compared to no intervention, suggesting its usefulness as a culturally appropriate intervention for sustainableenhancement of mental health and successful aging in rapidly aging societies, including South Korea.

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Keywords

Elderly; health aging; low-intensity physical activity; mental health; movement

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