The effects of mindfulness enhanced Tai Chi Chuan training on mental and physical health among beginners: a randomized controlled trial.
Ping Qu, Xiaoqing Zhu, Hui Zhou, Zhengyu Kang, Ran Li, Jingsi Wen, Feng Pan, Yang Liu, Ting Zhu, Qian Cao, Xiaoyan Wang, Yuyin Wang
Frontiers in Psychology 2024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1381009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 119 |
| Population | Healthy college students new to Tai Chi Chuan training |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan Tai Chi Chuan |
| Duration | 10 weekly 90-min training sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Tai chi chuan Beginners Mental health Physical health |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan led to significantly greater improvements in mindfulness, anxiety, stress, and physical fitness than standard Tai Chi Chuan alone, with no difference in depression. |
Abstract
Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise widely adopted in Chinese communities and colleges. However, the mindful essence of TCC is rarely emphasized during popularization. This makes it difficult for beginners to benefit from it. The present study aimed to examine the effects of a Mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) intervention, which enhances mindfulness components embedded within TCC, on mental and physical health among beginners. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 119 healthy college students new to Tai Chi Chuan training. Participants were assigned to either the MTCC group or the TCC group. Both interventions consisted of 10 weekly 90-min training sessions, with the MTCC group emphasizing and enhancing mindfulness components. Outcome measures included mindfulness, depression, anxiety, stress, and physical fitness, assessed at baseline and post-intervention. The results showed that the MTCC group had significantly greater improvements than the TCC group in mindfulness, anxiety, stress, and health-and skill-related physical fitness. There were no significant differences between the two groups in depression. The findings suggest that compared to TCC, MTCC can effectively promote individuals' physical fitness and provide additional benefits to mental well-being. MTCC can be recommended as an accessible and beneficial intervention for beginners to improve mental health and strengthen their bodies. https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2200058175.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Improving exercise motivation and physical fitness in college students through a long-term mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan program: a randomized controlled trial PeerJ January 9, 2026
- A comparative study between mindfulness‐enhanced exercise training with tai chi and resistance training for college students' mental health: Efficacy, trajectories, and mechanisms Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being December 1, 2025
- Nondual Awareness, Body Boundary Perception, and Creative Attitudes in Japanese University Students Through a Brief Paired Martial Arts Exercise: A Randomized Controlled Trial Behavioral Sciences November 28, 2025
- The Influence of Mindfulness-Enhanced Resistance Training Program on the Subjective Well-Being of Female College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Behavioral Sciences April 8, 2026
Cites 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- The relationship between mindfulness and objective measures of body awareness: A meta-analysis Scientific Reports November 22, 2019
- Individual participant data systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing adult mindfulness-based programmes for mental health promotion in non-clinical settings. Nature Mental Health July 10, 2023
- A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan for subthreshold depression adolescents Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment September 1, 2018
and 3 more in the library