The scientific basis of qigong as mind-body intervention to reduce foreign language anxiety

Abstract

Background: A growing number of ethnic minority families, many of whom do not speak Chinese, are immigrating to and residing in Hong Kong. To fully succeed in school and participate in school activities, ethnic-minority children must gain competence in the Chinese language. However, many of these children experience foreign-language anxiety, creating a hurdle in their learning process. This study has two aims: to help Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) students reduce foreign-language anxiety through the use of qigong as a mind-body intervention, and to gain a deeper understanding of the neuroscientific mechanisms of qigong on reducing foreign-language anxiety. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a school setting, with NCS students recruited via convenience sampling and placed at random into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group took part in a qigong program, while the control group continued with their usual routine. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 6 months after intervention. Results: This study did not identify significant differences in foreign-language anxiety or academic achievement in the Chinese language between or within the groups. However, a significant within-group difference in salivary cortisol level was noted for the intervention group. Participants' cortisol levels decreased significantly after the qigong intervention compared to measurements taken at baseline. A marginally significant between-group difference in salivary cortisol levels was also observed, with participants in the qigong group displaying lower cortisol levels than those in the control group at post-assessment. No significant differences were identified for stress-related physiological outcomes, including blood pressure, heart rate, and heart-rate variability. Discussion and Implications: Although the results are inconclusive regarding the use of qigong to reduce foreign-language anxiety, this study provides evidence that qigong has an effect on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. This suggests that qigong can help children to regulate their emotions and that it may prevent hyper-activation of the HPA axis. Qigong was also found to alter the neuroendocrine system, a result that aligns with previous research. Non-significant results in other physiological outcome measures may imply that short-term qigong training produces an effect on the HPA axis but not the autonomic nervous system. This study employs a form of qigong known as Baduanjin, and recommends its use for children, as the results have demonstrated that it can safely be used in educational settings as an intervention to relieve stress.