Exploration of Martial Arts Practice on Self Efficacy

and Overall Wellness

TIPHANIE GONZALEZ, PHD

ADAM SCHWARTZ

BRENDA MCAUSLAND

SUNY OSWEGO

Martial Arts and Wellness

•How do Martial Arts and Wellness connect?• Stress Reduction• Mind-Body Approach

•Participation and Discipline

•Exercise and Self-Esteem

•Ability and Self-Confidence

•Overall Self-Efficacy

Bandura and Self-Efficacy

Bandura expounded on the possibilities of increasing self-efficacy and its potential for improving health-both physical and mental; and the role this may play in reducing high risk behavior in clients of all ages (Bandura, 1995).

So why is this important?

Building Relationships

•Strengths of attending class.

•The role of traditions in martial arts.

•Camaraderie between classmates.

•Discipline

Bandura and Self-Efficacy…cont’d

Bandura described self-efficacy as the individual’s belief regarding their own capabilities to affect influence over events in their lives. He proposed that “mastery of experiences” was the most effective means of increasing one’s self-efficacy. As one develops mastery of a task or behavior, there is an increased level of control over the execution of said behavior- such as when and where it occurs, or the duration and intensity exhibited. It stands to reason that successfully learning to perform a complex series of tasks -such as those required for the mastery of a martial arts form would require perseverance as one deals with obstacles and missteps during the process. Bandura believes that by remaining diligent in one’s efforts, we are able to learn to become more resilient and better able to overcome adversity (Bandura, 1994).

Vicarious Learning

•Building self-esteem, wellness and self-efficacy by observation.

• Influence of:• Instructors• Classmates• Professionals

Exercise

•Physiological benefits of exercise• Increased Endorphins• Weight loss/ Weight Maintenance• Increased Strength• Increased Flexibility• Other Health Benefits

Wheel of Wellness

Research Questions

•Is there a relationship between Martial Arts practice and perceived wellness?

•Is there a relationship between Martial Arts and perceived self-efficacy?

Methodology

•Instrument: Demographic Questions, Survey (12 questions), sent electronically

•Participants and Setting: Undergraduate and Graduate students enrolled at a North-Eastern US college.

• 341 participants opened the survey, 139 having Martial Arts experience.• Altogether 90 surveys were eligible for inclusion into the study.

Participants

•Of the 90 participants 37.8% were female, 61.1% were male and 1.1% reported as other, self identifying as gender queer; 7.8% were African American/Black, 6.7% were Biracial/Multiracial, 72.2% were Caucasian/White, and 12.2% were Latino/Hispanic. Ages ranged from 18 to 48, with 85.8% between the ages of 18 to 23.

ResultsQuestions identified as positively looking at Self-efficacy and wellness were largely rated positively by participants and vice-versa. Specifically…

There was a statistically significant relationship between feelings of increased positivity since starting martial arts training and the participants ability to handle stress (rs [90]=.596, p<.001).

There was a statistically significant relationship between feelings of increased positivity since starting martial arts training and participants noticing that they had become sick less often (rs [88]= .44, p,.001).

There was a statistically significant relationship between feelings of increased self-confidence when handling everyday obstacles and self-reported beliefs that martial arts has improved their social relationships (rs [90]=.493, p<.001)

There was a statistically significant relationship between participants beliefs that their physical appearance had improved increased feelings of positivity since starting martial arts (rs [90]=.529, p,.001).

Race, Gender and Years practicing martial arts largely did not have an effect on how participants answered survey questions.

So what does this mean?•The findings for this study further supports that participation in activities like martial arts has positive effects on participants health and wellness.

•Implications for Counselors:• Benefits of Martial Arts in Counseling• Movement Based Therapy

References Bandura, A. (1995). Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press