A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Effect of Tai Chi on the Drug Craving in Women

Overview

Journal Int J Ment Health Addict

Date 2022 Sep 19

PMID 36119946

Authors

Mu Wang

Yanyan Chen

Yubing Xu

Xiaoyu Zhang

Ting Sun

Huazhi Li

Cunfeng Yuan

Jin Li

Zeng-Hui Ding

Zuchang Ma

Yining Sun

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study was conducted in the purpose of investigating the effect of Tai Chi on drug craving for women with drug disorders. One hundred and twelve women were recruited from a drug rehabilitation center in China, and 47 and 48 were finally analyzed in the control group and exercise group, respectively. The exercise group underwent a 3-month Tai Chi training, whereas the control group experienced no exercise intervention during the same time period. The drug craving was measured by the visual analog scale. In data analysis, repeated-measures were utilized to test the differences between the control and exercise group over the course of the experiment time. The mean of the craving score significantly dropped from pre-test (control: mean = 5.38, SD = 3.04; exercise: mean = 4.68, SD = 2.93) to post-test (control: mean = 4.03, SD = 2.73; exercise: mean = 1.91, SD = 1.90) in both groups (control group: = 3.84, = 46, < 0.001; exercise group: = 5.941, = 47, < 0.001), with more decrease witnessed in the exercise group. Repeated-measures analysis with a Huynh-Feldt correction showed the significant effect of time ( = 27.383, < 0.001) as well as the study group by time interaction ( = 3.52, = 0.024). Tai Chi can ameliorate the drug craving in women and it could be a supportive treatment for drug addiction.

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