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GREEK TRADITIONAL DANCES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING
MAVROVOUNIOTIS F., ARGIRIADOU EIR., ZAGGELIDIS G.
Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hellas
Keywords: Acute aerobic exercise, dancing, exhilaration, mood states, relaxation, state anxiety
Introduction
The participation in physical activities constitutes an important factor that contributes to psychological balance, and promotes psychological state. Many researches seem to corroborate the observation that acute aerobic exercise results to psychological health improvement, via the anxiety reduction and overall mood enhancement (Berger et al., 1993; Berger et al., 1998; Craft, 2005; Dimeo et al., 2001; ISSP, 1992; Landers, & Arent, 2001; Lawlor, & Hopker, 2001; Morgan, 1987; Morgan, & O'Connor, 1988; Petruzzello et al., 1991).
In the literature, researches support the effectiveness of less intense exercise as walking (Tomson et al., 2003), hatha yoga (Berger, & Owen, 1992a; Berger, & Owen, 1992b), and cycling in a very low intensity (O'Connor et al., 1995). Certainly, moderate more than high intensity exercise appears likely to be associated with psychological well-being (Berger et al., 1993; Thayer, 1987). Such a form of exercise is dancing.
Dancing is a physical activity of moderate intensity, approximately 3-5 METs, which contributes to the improvement of physical fitness (Balady, & Weiner, 1987; Klissouras, 2004). Moreover, dancing is a recreational activity which contributes with a cost in calories that amounts to 300-360 Kcal/h, when it is calculated in dances of low intensity, while in intense dances it amounts to 420 up to 480 Kcal/h (Byrne, 1991; Klissouras, 2004; Papanikolaou, 1993).
However, although the effects of aerobic exercise on people's psychosomatic state have been studied adequately, the effects of dance, and more specifically the effects of Greek traditional dances, have not been studied yet (Colussi, 2002;
Ritter, & Low, 1996). Thus, the purpose of the present study is to examine whether the participation in Greek traditional dances affects participants' psychosomatic state. More specifically, to examine whether the participation in Greek traditional dances influences state anxiety and mood states.
Method
SAMPLE
Sixty eight (68) healthy members of different dancing clubs (45 women and 23 men), were selected randomly and participated in the study voluntarily. Subjects' age ranged from 17 to 47 years. Before the study, the subjects had participated in a group dancing program for learning and performing Greek traditional dances, once per week, to the club where they were members. All the subjects, before the beginning of the program, underwent medical control so that it could be certified that they do not suffer from any cardiovascular or other disease. Additionally, before the research, they answered a questionnaire about any health problem.
PROCEDURE
The subjects participated voluntarily in an afternoon group program of Greek traditional dances performance, each one to the club where he/she was member. The Greek traditional dance sessions to the different clubs were conducted by teachers of physical education with extensive practical experience.
Before the beginning of the research, a description of general requirements was given and, still, the aim of the research was described to the participants without any briefing relative to previous research findings. The psychological instruments were also presented and the instructions were explained for each one of them. The need for absolute honesty and precision was particularly emphasized. The session duration was 1 ½ hour. The performed Greek traditional dances were from the areas of Thrace and Macedonia.
SCALES OF MEASUREMENT
The abbreviated version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS; McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman, 1971), proposed by Scacham (1983), was used as a measure of Tension/Anxiety, Depression/Dejection, Anger/Hostility, Vigor/Activity, Fatigue/Inertia, Confusion/Bewilderment, and Total Mood Disturbance. The rigorous psychometric properties of the 65-item original questionnaire seem to be well preserved in this 37-item easier to administer form (Grove & Prapavessis, 1992). Five additional items were included, measuring Exhilaration. POMS was completed about 5 min before and after the Greek traditional dances performance. Moreover, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, (SAI; Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970), was used, for the measurement of anxiety. All subjects completed the 20-item trait anxiety subscale, SAI-Y2, for trait anxiety measurement once, just about 5 min before the Greek traditional dances session, with score ranging from 20 to 80 degrees. The 20-item state anxiety subscale, SAI-Y1 was also completed about 5 min before and after the Greek traditional dances performance, for state anxiety measurement, with score ranging from 20 to 80 degrees. POMS and SAI were administered in a counterbalanced order, which was reversed at the posttest and translated in Greek following a standard procedure involving the discussion of multiple alternative wordings by a group of five bilingual experts.
DATA ANALYSIS
For the statistical analysis the statistic packet SPSS/PC Version 11.0 for windows was used. The non-parametric test Kolmogorov-Smirnov was used to evaluate the normal distribution of the sample. Moreover, descriptive analysis was used. The student t-test was also used to evaluate significant differences between measurements, before and after the Greek traditional dances. The level of significance was set to p<0.05.
Results
In Table 1 the sample's age and, also, trait anxiety are presented. From SAI-Υ2 elaboration, it was found out that the subjects had moderate trait anxiety.
Table 1
Sample's characteristics
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Descriptive statistics for each measure assessed prior to and following the dance bout and the significance of any demonstrated change are shown in Figure 1-4, and in Table 2. In regard to POMS, according to data processing, it was obvious that there were decreases in the negative factors tension, depression, anger and confusion, while an increase observed in the subjective indicators of fatigue (Fig. 1).
In regard to POMS, it was observed a decrease in total mood disturbance that is a total of the negative factors tension, depression, anger, confusion, as well as fatigue, subtracting the positive factor of vigor (Fig. 2).
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On the other hand, it was obvious that there were increases in the positive factor of POMS vigor, and, also, in exhilaration (Fig. 3).
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Furthermore, the state anxiety score from the SAI-Y1 presented a decrease, after the Greek traditional dances performance (Fig. 4).
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As it can be seen, the changes that observed after the performance of the Greek traditional dances generally reflect increases in positive responses and fatigue and decreases in negative responses. Certainly, all of these changes are quite big in magnitude. The greatest decreases noted to be evidenced in depression (41.14%), confusion (22.85%), and state anxiety (9.70%). Important is the fact that a significant decrease in total mood disturbance (3.54%), although quite small, was observed, while big increases noted to evidenced in exhilaration (21.90%) and vigor (10.35%). Moreover, a big increase in subjective indicators of fatigue (42.50%) was observed, indicating that dancing Greek traditional dances is a moderate, in intensity, physical activity (Fig. 1-4, Table 2)
Table 2
Descriptive data and degree of change for SAI-Υ1, POMS, and Exhilaration before and after the Greek traditional dances
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In addition, from paired t-tests it was found out that all the factors of POMS, as well as state anxiety score from the SAI-Y1, were influenced in a positive direction by the Greek traditional dances bout. All the factors except tension and anger were, indeed, significantly influenced (Table 2).
Discussion
The primary objective of the present study was to examine whether exercising in Greek traditional dances result in anxiety reduction and in overall mood enhancement. The results indicate that Greek traditional dances indeed possesses mood enhancing properties, which are comparable, at least quantitatively, to those of other forms of aerobic exercise. More specifically, the Greek traditional dances performance resulted in decreases in the negative affect measurements that are tension, depression, anger, confusion, and total mood disturbance, as well as state anxiety, and in increases in the positive affect measurements that are vigor and exhilaration.
In agreement with the results of the present study other authors suggest that dancing causes state anxiety reduction, neuromuscular tension reduction, and, also, psychological and physical calm (Bate et al., 1985; Brooks & Stark, 1989; Garnet, 1974; Keuttel, 1982; Payne, 1992; Stanton-Jones, 1992; Steiner, 1992). In addition, dancing provides a relief/break from every day problems and mental health improvement, strengthening of family relations, as well as an enlargement of social circle, when it is performed with relatives or friends. Traditional dances, particularly, are a physical activity that prevents mental fall and improves co-ordination through physical movement control (Balkus, 1989; Garnet, 1974; Mazczuk, 1987; Scott-Bilmann, 1997; Xerakia, & Kalogerakou, 2000).
Additionally, improvement in psychological state, in satisfaction and in quality of life was, also, observed after a program of Greek traditional dances (Konstantinidou et al., 2000). In similar results led a program of practice with movements of traditional Korean dances, as moral satisfaction, improvement of self-confidence and of psychological state were observed in the participants (Kim et al., 2002).
A possible explanation for the relation between the improved mood state and dancing is that the improved mood state is related to the improved cardiovascular situation that occurs by exercising (Cox, 1994). Additionally, this sense of psychological well-being is connected with endorphins excretion that has a morphine-effect in the exercising individual. The general euphoria that endorphins produce reduces depression, anxiety, confusion and different negative mood states levels (Cox, 1994; Dishman, 1989). This is exactly the feeling that causes internal balance and self-confidence, while simultaneously it makes it possible to cope with the difficulties and reverses of daily living (Simatos, 1994).
Consequently, it could be said that dancing is an effective factor of mood state improvement, as it contributes to the creation of a special stream state of consciousness which is related to various ecstasy levels, or, in other words, to a state of enthusiasm. Therefore, it appears that dancing is not simply and only the means of body-spirit reconnection. It is a kinetic activity that can, as the primitive, ritual dances, use brain properties in order to connect, via the conceiving rhythm, the internal and the external, that is the individual and the world, a fundamental element in psychotherapy (Schott-Billmann, 1997). Dancing incorporates soul and body and enfolds neural interactions between the movement and the emotion. Each emotion is expressed with a certain movement and each body movement and posture is connected with each person's emotions and psychological mood state (Berrol & Katz, 1985).
Analyzing the social and therapeutic value of the traditional dance, we can see that its usefulness is quite big and perhaps traditional dance, this natural and spontaneous/original way of expression, could partly contribute to a person's attempt at combating alienation, individualism, loneliness and other psychosomatic diseases of our age (Collussi, 2002). Therefore, dancing as a physical activity may be especially beneficial to maintain and boost positive definitions of health (Pikoula et al., 2005; Ransford & Palisi, 1996). Thus, although the effects of dancing on mood state have begun to be studied only recently, dancing is already considered an effective manner of negative feelings reduction (Colussi, 2002).
Moreover, the music accompaniment, just like while dancing Greek traditional dances, provides a clear reduction of anxiety symptoms and can, also, influence mood state, as it can stimulate participants' enjoyment/pleasure (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991; Karageorghis & Terry, 1999; Ritter & Low, 1996). The pleasure, besides, appears to be a main factor in the improvement of psychological well-being and quality of life, which is closely related to the concept of flow (Berger, 1993; Wankel, 1993). When a person is in the condition of flow, concentrates on a limited field of stimuli, loses the sense of time, forgets personal problems, feels capable and in control and has a wonderful sense of harmony with the environment (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991).
These findings, also, coincide with ours, that is to say, that via Greek traditional dances the dancers feel enhanced relaxation and exhilaration, are in an improved mood state and thus they can express themselves via movement.
Conclusions
After the Greek traditional dances session decreases in the negative studied factors and increases in the positive studied factors were observed. More specifically, decreases in tension, depression, anger, confusion, total mood disturbance, as well as in state anxiety score were observed, while increases in vigor, and, also, in exhilaration were observed. These findings indicate that Greek traditional dances indeed possesses mood enhancing properties, which are comparable, at least quantitatively, to those of other forms of aerobic exercise. Thus, Greek traditional dances via the music accompaniment give a sense of general psychological well-being, an essential element for the difficulties of the everyday life. Consequently, it appears that dancing Greek traditional dances is advisable as an appropriate form of physical activity resulting not only on physical but also on psychological benefits.
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the mood state and the state anxiety in women and men before and after their participation in Greek traditional dances. Sixty eighty (68) people, 30.12+7.93 years old (mean+SD) participated in the study. The dances were from the areas of Thrace and Macedonia and the session duration was 1 ½ hour. Five minutes before and after the end of the dance program the participants completed the scales STAI FORM X-2 and STAI FORM X-1 of Spielberger, Gorsuch and Lushene (1970), for the measurement of trait and state anxiety, as well as POMS scale of Schacham (1983) for the enrollment of mood states. Data examination showed that subjects had moderate trait anxiety. Moreover, after dancing significant (p<0.05-0.001) decreases to, almost, all negative factors of POMS, as well as state anxiety, except tension and anger, and to all positive factors of POMS, as well as exhilaration, were observed. These results indicate that via Greek traditional dances, the dancers feel enhanced relaxation and exhilaration, are in an improved mood state and thus they can express themselves via movement. Consequently, it appears that dancing is advisable as an appropriate form of physical activity resulting not only on physical but also on psychological benefits.
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