The effectiveness of Tai Chi exercises on the mental health of women with breast cancer

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common and fatal types of cancer which affects women more emotionally and psychologically than other types. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Tai Chi exercises on the mental health of women with breast cancer. Method: A pre-test post-test design with control group was used in this quasi-experimental study in 2019. Samples of the study were women with breast cancer in Urmia. A total of 30 women were selected through convenient sampling (15 control group and 15 training group). The training group participated in a 12 weeks physical training (Tai Chi exercises) with average intensity of 55-70 percent for 60 minutes three days a week. General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg & Hiller, 1979) was used in this study. The results were analyzed via covariance analysis in SPSS 20 software. Results: The results indicated that after 12 weeks of Tai Chi exercises, general health subscale scores of physical (p<0.01), anxiety and insomnia (p= 0.01), social dysfunction (p<0.01), and depression (p=0.01) significantly decreased in the training group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that Tai Chi exercises can improve mental health in women with breast cancer.