Final Report On The TCC Student Questionnaire

The T’ai Chi Chih study begun in 2007 has come to a conclusion. To live on, the study needs to be taken over by a research organization. While I am open to sharing the data I have, I cannot take it to the next level myself because the statistical software program is no longer compatible with my computers. 

The teacher-administered study asked TCC students to rate their perceptions in categories of physical, mental and emotional/spiritual well being. Over 600 questionnaires provided by eleven TCC teachers from 2007 to 2010 were analyzed. We have reliable results from 363 student questionnaires taken on the first day of TCC class and 247 student questionnaires taken at the end of their TCC lessons.

The overall question asked by the study was: “Are changes in body, mind, spirit and well-being noticed by students new to TCC when they begin their first class and when they complete their last class?”

Background

A 2006 teacher accreditation class explored how to document changes that students attributed to TCC. Brainstorming sessions at the 2006 and 2007 conference determined how to study this. The TCC Outreach Coordinator, Lorraine Lepine, agreed to spearhead the project.

A “Student Reaction Questionnaire” was developed, field-tested, revised, and field tested again several times. Statistics show that the instrument (aka, the questionnaire) met statistical reliability tests, meaning the questionnaire was reliable.

In 2007, teachers voluntarily began using the questionnaire at the start and end of their courses, sending pre- and post-tests for analysis.

The 12 Questions

1. Rate your energy level

2. Rate your frequency of headaches

3. Rate your creativity

4. Rate your level of back or joint pain 

5. Rate your level of accomplishment

6. Rate how well you react to stress in your life

7. Rate your balance and coordination

8. Rate your level of physical discomfort 

9. Rate the level of spirituality in your life

10. Rate your quality of sleep 

11. Rate your mental clarity and focus

12. Rate your feeling of wellbeing and satisfaction with life

As of June 2009 (for classes given from February 2007 through June 2009), 11 teachers returned 610 surveys.

Participating Teachers

Viola Bens

Nancy Jo Blier

Julie Buffalo

Jerry Bumbalough

Caroline Guillot

Lorraine Lepine (102 surveys submitted)

Donna McElhose (71 surveys submitted)

Judith Mirczak (78 surveys submitted)

Vickie Schroeder (108 surveys submitted)

Anita Vestal

Claire Whalen

Results

All surveys were analyzed by Anita Vestal using SPSS statistical software. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) clearly shows that in all areas except creativity, there is significant improvement in how students rate themselves on changes they notice physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually that can be attributed to their T’ai Chi Chih lessons.

In the area of physical and mental aspects, at their final class compared to their first class, students rated themselves:

• higher in energy level, quality of sleep

• higher in mental clarity and focus

• higher in balance and coordination

At their last class, student rated themselves:

• lower in frequency of headaches

• lower in level of back or joint pain

In the areas of emotional and spiritual qualities, students rated themselves at their final class compared to their first class as follows:

• higher in level of accomplishment

• higher in how well they react to stress

• higher in the level of spirituality in their lives

• higher in the feeling of well being and satisfaction

• higher in creativity (although the creativity category is the only one that did not show a statistically significant difference; nevertheless the mean score was higher in the last class compared to the first.)

The study had 105 male and 480 female students. Birth years ranged from 1929 to 1988 with the average birth year in 1950. The data was collected, analyzed and reported by Anita Vestal.