The Effect of Dance Psychotherapy Activities on Stress Reduction for Undergraduate Students
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Abstract
Stress among undergraduate students is a growing concern due to its negative impacts on mental and physical health as well as academic performance. Dance psychotherapy, an emerging therapeutic approach, holds promise for reducing stress by integrating physical activity with psychological exploration and expression. This research aimed to investigate 1) the stress levels of undergraduate students; 2) the impact of dance psychotherapy activities on stress levels within the experimental group; and 3) the disparity in stress levels between the experimental and control groups. The study population comprised undergraduate students at Chongqing University of Mechanical and Electrical Technology in China, with 60 students meeting the study's criteria and being selected as samples, evenly divided into control and experimental groups. The control group participated in 8 sessions of dance psychotherapy activities over 2 weeks. The research instruments included a stress scale and dance psychotherapy activities. Data were analyzed using descriptive and static statistics to compare means between two independent sample groups. The study results revealed the following: 1) The current stress levels among undergraduate students are moderate; 2) Participation in the activities led to a decrease in stress levels among the experimental group; and 3) There was a significant difference in stress levels between the experimental and control groups of undergraduate students (p < 0.01). This study underscored the comprehensive stress-reducing benefits of participating in dance psychotherapy activities for college students, including emotional release, anxiety alleviation, mitigation of physical stress reactions, enhancement of social connections, and promotion of self-awareness, thereby aiding in better management of pressure and anxiety. Additionally, it offers educational institutions and schools a viable strategy for stress reduction among students through the incorporation of dance psychotherapy activities into their programs.
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