A Study was conducted to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Taichi Exercises on
stress among college students at Selected colleges, Salem. The design adopted was
true-experimental pre-test post-test control group design. Setting of the study was
Vinayaka Mission Kirubananda Variyar College of Engineering (Experimental group)
and Sri Annapoorna College of Engineering (Control Group). The screening was done
with the use of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Then the subjects were separated based
on their stress level. 60 samples were drawn through simple random sampling
technique (Lottery method without replacement).Level of stress was assessed by four
point rating scale through structured self-administered questionnaire. Taichi Exercises
was administered for 21 consecutive days. Then Post-test was done. The data gathered
were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistical method.
The findings revealed that during pre-test, all 30 (100%), of the samples had
moderate stress in Experimental and control group. During post-test, in experimental
group, 10(33.33%) and 20(66.67%) of the college students had mild and moderate
stress, whereas in control group, all 30(100%) of the samples had moderate stress.
The mean difference in the level of stress between pre test and post test of
experimental group was 24.4 and the estimated paired ‘t’ value 18.29 was most
significantly higher than table value 2.05 at p≤ 0.05 level. Hence H1 was retained. The
post test mean difference in the level of stress between the experimental and control
group was 23.1 and the estimated ‘t’ value 8.39 was most significantly higher than
table value 2.06 at p≤ 0.05 level. Hence H2 was retained, which shows that the Taichi
Exercises was effective in reducing the stress among college students. There was no
significant association (p≤0.05) between the stress among college students in
experimental group and control group. Hence H3 was rejected. The study concluded
that Taichi Exercises was effective and innovative therapeutic approach, and a cost
effective technique in establishing, maintaining and promoting a good sense of
psychological wellbeing among students
