A team of researchers at 91���� has co-designed a Tai Chi-based stress-reduction programme tailored to higher education students, to help address rising mental health concerns in young adults.

An eight-week programme was piloted in a randomised controlled trial, offering students a low-cost, flexible method to manage stress and anxiety. Dr Guoyan (Emily) Yang, a research fellow and Tai Chi Master at Western’s National Institute of Complementary Medicine, who leads the project and has taught Tai Chi for nearly 20 years, says its accessibility is one of its most important advantages.

“The unique advantage of Tai Chi is that it doesn’t require special facilities and yet is profound enough to sustain a long-term practice for stress management,” she explains. “You can just take a five- or ten-minute break and do it anywhere — indoors or outdoors, such as in the classroom, on campus, or at home.”

The team, including Associate Professor Janet Conti, from the School of Psychology, Associate Professor Erin Mackenzie, from the School of Education, and Associate Professor Carolyn Ee, from the National Institute of Complementary Medicine, conducted a pilot study with 44 students to investigate the feasibility of a Tai Chi-based stress reduction programme. They also worked alongside headspace, Australia’s national youth mental health foundation, which provides early intervention services to 12–25 year olds.

While a wealth of previous research supports Tai Chi’s mental health benefits for older adults, few studies have examined its impact on younger people. Through the first phase of their research, the team found that the students had the misconception that Tai Chi is just for older people, but soon embraced the initiative.

“During the initial phase of this research, we found that students wanted to feel that they were part of a community. This sense of dislocation fits with our previous research looking at postgraduate student experiences during COVID-19, which showed that a lack of connection had an adverse effect on student wellbeing,” Conti explains.

For the Tai Chi intervention, Yang notes that 75% of the students completed the programme, suggesting the program is feasible and well accepted. “Our preliminary analysis showed significant improvements in sleep quality, social support, quality of life, and physical activity levels before and after the programme in comparison to the control group who were not exposed to the programme. Important lifestyle behaviour and health changes like these can beneficially impact stress levels,” she says.

Some students were so enthusiastic about their experience that they launched the University’s first student-led Tai Chi Association for Wellbeing, creating a space for continued practice open to all students, staff, and alumni.

“The research has been valuable to equipping students with the practical tools to manage stress and improve their mental health,” says Serena Nian, Service & Community Development Officer at headspace.

Next, the team hopes to secure funding for a larger trial across multiple universities, with the long-term vision of offering the programme across more Australian universities and beyond.