Qigong for the mental health of teachers – A prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The development of mental health care has changed greatly from ancient civilisations to the present day. Today, teachers' mental health and well-being are in a precarious state, and when lack of training is added, it becomes clear how difficult it is for teachers to provide adequate support to students. This can be exacerbated by specific contexts and cultures in which teachers may feel uncomfortable seeking help. The lack of support for teachers can lead to the development of long-term mental health problems, with negative personal, professional, and social consequences. Because teacher well-being directly impacts student well-being, achievement, and success, it is crucial to promote teachers' mental health. Qigong may be considered a patient-guided psychophysiological feedback technique that enables subjects to learn and control bodily functions and processes. The present study aimed to investigate the potential impact of Qigong on teachers' anxiety, depression, and stress levels, and to explore the feasibility of integrating it into the school context. Eighty-four participants were recruited and randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group received the Qigong intervention and the control group received a placebo intervention, both for 4 weeks. The outcomes were anxiety, depression and stress levels and were assessed using various scales and complementary physiological parameters. Regarding anxiety, the experimental group showed significant improvements in all outcome measures, while the placebo group showed similar scores in the pre- and post-measurements. The post-intervention results even showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of state anxiety. In terms of depression and stress, the results suggest that Qigong can significantly improve symptoms. The placebo group showed no significant changes. However, no significant differences were found between the groups in the final assessment. The results of this study suggest that Qigong can help improve teachers' mental health and can be implemented in schools.