CAN A LIVESTREAMING GREEK TRADITIONAL DANCE GROUP PROGRAM HAVE FAVORABLE CHANGES ON MOOD STATES?
The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a live streaming Greek traditional dance group program on participants’ mood states. In the research participated voluntarily 147 adult members of Cultural Clubs, who were randomly divided into intervention group (IG; n=75) and control group (CG; n=72). The IG participated in live streaming group lessons of Greek traditional dances, twice a week, for 45 minutes, for 12 weeks, while the CG continued its daily life, both during the quarantine imposed due to COVID-19. Before and after the 12-week period, the participants in both groups completed the 37-item Profile of Mood States, proposed by Shacham (1983), to measure tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, confusion, exhilaration, and Total Mood Disturbance. The statistical package SPSS/PC version 29.0 for windows was used for statistical analysis. The data analysis showed that participation in the livestreaming Greek traditional dance group program implemented during the quarantine affected very positively IG’s mood states, as it caused very significant decreases (p<0.001) concerning the negative dimensions of mood states -tension, depression, anger, confusion, fatigue, Total Mood Disturbance-, and very significant increases (p<0.001) regarding the positive dimensions of mood states -vigor, exhilaration. As for the CG, the 12-week daily life in quarantine affected very negatively their mood states, since the negative dimensions increased significantly (p<0.05 to p<0.001), and the positive dimensions decreased significantly (p<0.01 to p<0.001). Consequently, a livestreaming Greek traditional dance group program may, indeed, have favorable changes on mood states and also may be an alternative solution in cases where face-to-face participation in exercise and dance programs is not feasible, either due to problems concerning individual health or occupational problems, or problems concerning society, such as a pandemic.
Keywords: quarantine, Covid-19, dance, online program, adults, psychological state.
