title: Effects of qigong on performance-related anxiety and physiological stress functions in transverse flute music schoolchildren: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Based on individual cases of treatment, we were interested in whether the effects of a special kind of qigong, the "White Ball" exercises, can be objectified by physically measurable parameters and psychological scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a preliminary prospective controlled interventional study with the waiting list design. In the qigong group eight children were included. They received specific qigong lessons of the "White Ball" qigong over seven weeks, twice a week, for 30 min with a waiting list design and instructions to perform the same exercises at home daily. In the control group eight children were included in a waiting list design with no qigong instruction. Subjective perception of anxiety was measured by the Portuguese version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale adapted for children. In addition, salivary cortisol, heart rate variability, blood pressure, surface electromyography of the trapezius muscle and reaction time were measured at the beginning and the end of the study prior to the regular public auditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison to the changes in the control group, the qigong group scored significantly lower in heart rate. Otherwise the groups did not differ significantly; however, the effect size was large for salivary cortisol, surface electromyography of the trapezius muscle and blood pressure. There were relevant reductions of subjective perception of anxiety, salivary cortisol levels and heart rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The heart rate of performing schoolchildren can be potentially reduced by "White Ball" exercises. Based on a sample of 8/8, positive tendencies were also observed for anxiety and blood pressure. The next steps of objectifying possible qigong effects are to increase the sample size, to study young people in other situations arousing anxiety, to develop an appropriate control intervention, to solve the problem of blinding and double blinding, to find additional parameters that may be influenced by the "White Ball" qigong, and to compare the qigong effects with other methods reducing anxiety such as more traditional biofeedback or systematic desensitization.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Claudia Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Efferth
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greten
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Froeschen
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Greten
mesh_terms: D001945:Breathing Exercises; D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music; D060805:Performance Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological