Open Access

ARTICLE

Preventive Effects of Tai Chi on Depression and Perceived Stress in Healthy Older 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:

(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 2025, 27(8), 1133-1148. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.069800

Received 01 July 2025; Accepted 15 August 2025; Issue published 29 August 2025

Abstract

Objectives: Population aging is occurring at a rapid speed all over the world, bringing considerable public health challenges, including for the mental health of older adults. Considering that older populations are prone to depression and stress, the need for effective preventive interventions is critical. Thus, we conducted a study aimed at exploring the preventive impact of a community-based Tai Chi program over 8 weeks on depression and perceived stress in healthy older adults in South Korea. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized, with 63 older adults participating (31 individuals in the Tai Chi group and 32 in the control group). The Tai Chi intervention was a 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 Encounter Psychosocial Instrument. Data analysis included frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and repeated measures analysis of variance to examine group × time interaction effects. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant group × time interaction effects for depression (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.868, F_{1, 57} = 8.63, p = 0.005, partial η² = 0.13) and perceived stress (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.831, F_{1, 57} = 11.62, p = 0.001, partial η² = 0.17). In particular, participants in the Tai Chi group had significantly greater reductions in depression and perceived stress than participants in the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that Tai Chi may contribute to more favorable changes in depression and perceived stress among healthy older adults compared to no intervention, suggesting its usefulness as a culturally appropriate intervention for sustainable enhancement of mental health and successful aging in rapidly aging societies, including South Korea.

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Keywords

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