Qigong improves children’s wellbeing at school

Qigong lessons for children offer a possible way to improve wellbeing at school, according to research carried out in Sweden

OBJECTIVES:
Psychologic problems is increasing among pupils and has become a major problem in Sweden as well as in other Western countries. The aim of this study was to explore whether scheduled qigong exercise could have an effect on well-being at school, psychologic distress, self-image, and general stress.

SUBJECTS:
Pupils, 13-14 years, were assigned to either a qigong group or a control group.

INTERVENTION:
The qigong group had scheduled qigong 2 times a week for 8 weeks.

MEASURES:
Self-reported well-being at school, psychologic distress, self-image, and stress were measured pre- and postintervention.

RESULTS:
The control group had reduced well-being at school during the semester and the qigong group was stable. The qigong group reduced psychologic distress and stress, and had a tendency to improved self-image, whereas no changes were found in the control group. Self-image explains 47% (R(2) = 0.47) of well-being at school, and stress explains 29% (R(2) = 0.29) of psychologic distress.

CONCLUSIONS:
Scheduled qigong, meditative movement, is a possible way to improve well-being at school.

Source:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov