American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study investigated whether participation in a live, online group traditional dance program could influence participants’ self-esteem and state anxiety during the COVID-19 quarantine period. A total of 147 members of cultural clubs participated, including 43 men and 104 women, with a mean age of 49.73 ± 8.14 years. Participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 75) or a control group (n = 72). The experimental group attended live dance sessions through Zoom twice weekly, with each session lasting 45 minutes, over a 12-week period. The control group maintained their usual quarantine routines. Before and after the intervention, both groups completed the State Self-Esteem Scale, assessing performance, social, and appearance-related self-esteem, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form X-1, measuring current anxiety levels. Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in performance, social, and appearance self-esteem, alongside a significant reduction in state anxiety (p < 0.001). In contrast, the control group showed declining self-esteem scores and increased anxiety over the same period. These findings suggest that live online group dance activities may provide an accessible means of supporting psychological well-being by strengthening self-perceptions, reducing anxiety, and maintaining social connection when face-to-face participation is restricted.

Keywords: Traditional Dance, Online Group Activity, Self-Esteem, State Anxiety, Psychological Well-Being, Live Virtual Sessions.