Effect of Square Dance Exercise on Older Women With Mild Mental Disorders

Jindong Chang; Yuping Chen; Chunzhen Liu; Liming Yong; Ming Yang; Wenbing Zhu; Jibing Wang; Jiagao Yan

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.699778

Effect of Square Dance Exercise on Older Women With Mild Mental Disorders

Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 29:12:699778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.699778. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jindong Chang^{1

2}, Yuping Chen³, Chunzhen Liu³, Liming Yong^{1

2}, Ming Yang^{1

2}, Wenbing Zhu⁴, Jibing Wang⁵, Jiagao Yan⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
² Institute of Motor Quotient, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
³ Qingdao Mental Health Center, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
⁴ College of Physical Education and Health Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China.
⁵ International College of Football, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Editorial Department, The Journal of Shandong Sports University, Shandong Sports University, Jinan, China.

Abstract

Many epidemiological studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of exercise (EX) that can be used for adjunctive treatment in mental disorders. Despite several clinical experiments using exercise interventions, controlled studies are sparse in most disorder groups. Square dance is a popular aerobic exercise for older women in China. This study aimed to explore the effect of Chinese square dance exercise on mild mental disorders in older women. Participants included 109 older women with mild cognitive impairment from four large nursing homes. Participants were assigned either to the intervention group (n = 62) or the control group (n = 47), according to their residential nursing home. The intervention group underwent an 18-week square dance exercise, while the control group maintained their usual lifestyle. The outcomes were tested at baseline and weeks 9 and 18. The results showed that square dance exercise positively affected the results of all evaluations, especially on the participants' depressive symptoms and quality-of-life-related mental health. This study demonstrates that square dance exercise is a safe and effective approach for older women with mild cognitive impairment that benefits their long-term health.

Keywords: Chinese square dance; cognition; depression; health; mild cognitive impairment.