Effectiveness of Mind-Body Exercise on Burnout and Stress in Female Undergraduate Students

This study was to investigate the effects of mind-body exercise on burnout and perceived stress among female undergraduate students. A sample of 146 female undergraduate students took part in this study. They were assigned to mind-body exercise group (n = 91) and control group (n = 55). Mind-body exercise group received three 90-min sessions of Baduanjin exercise per week lasting for 12-weeks. There was no intervention in the control group. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey was used to assess burnout level, and the 10-item perceived stress scale was used to assess stress level. Significant decreases in emotional exhaustion (p < 0.001), cynicism (p < 0.001) and perceived stress (p < 0.001) were found in the mind-body exercise group compared with control group. Furthermore after 12-week mind-body exercise, emotional exhaustion, cynicism and perceived stress had greater reduction. Mind-body exercise (Baduanjin) may be considered an alternative strategy to reduce burnout and perceived stress in female undergraduate students.