27. The influence of folk dance training on depressive symptoms of elderly people living alone in cities

Abstract Background With social aging deepening, the number of empty-nest elderly in cities is rising. Due to long-term loneliness, limited social interaction, chronic diseases, economic pressure, or the loss of a spouse and friends, this group faces a higher risk of depression. Traditional interventions mainly include psychological counseling, group guidance, or drug treatment, but many elderly have limited acceptance of these methods. Research shows that dancing has unique therapeutic effects on psychological disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety. Thus, using dance as psychotherapy is an effective way to release emotions, enhance self-perception, and improve social interaction. Based on this, the study explores the effect of folk dance training on depressive symptoms in urban empty-nest elderly, aiming to provide a scientific and practical reference for non-pharmacological psychological interventions for the elderly. Methods A total of 100 urban empty-nest elderly people were included in the study. All participants were screened through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Meets the criteria for mild to moderate depression risk. Participants were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group, with 50 cases in each group. Both groups maintained their daily living activities. On this basis, the experimental group received folk dance intervention for 12 weeks, three times a week, for 60 minutes each time. The intervention content includes basic folk dance step training, rhythm and movement coordination practice, as well as group collaborative dance performances. Before and after the intervention, the GDS Scale, MMSE scale and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used respectively to evaluate depressive symptoms, cognitive status and social support level. Data analysis was conducted using paired t-tests and intergroup comparisons. A p<.05 was considered statistically significant. Results After the intervention, the GDS score of the experimental group decreased from 18.5 ± 4.7 to 10.2 ± 3.8, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<.01). The MMSE score of the experimental group increased from 26.1 ± 2.9 to 27.8 ± 2.5, while the change in the control group was not significant (p>.05). The total score of SSRS in the experimental group increased from 31.2 ± 5.3 to 37.6 ± 4.9, and the level of social support significantly improved. The results show that folk dance training can effectively alleviate the depressive symptoms of empty-nest elderly people in cities, while improving their cognitive state and sense of social support. Discussion Folk dance training, as a non-pharmaceutical intervention method integrating exercise, music and social interaction, can significantly improve the depressive symptoms of empty-nest elderly people in cities, enhance their cognitive function and increase their sense of social support. This intervention method is safe, operable and easy to promote, providing an effective approach for mental health intervention in the elderly. In the future, Coco will further explore the differentiated roles of different dance elements (such as rhythm and movement complexity) on the improvement paths of mental health, providing theoretical support for the formation of standardized and individualized intervention plans.