The Influence of Sports Dance on Self-esteem Among College Students
Authors: Wang Yeren , Charupheng Monthira , Srisawat Patcharaporn 
Published: September 2024

Background and Aims: College students' lives depend greatly on their sense of self-worth. It has an impact on their social interactions, emotional well-being, and academic achievement. Several issues can arise for college students, such as social pressures, anxiety related to appearance, and negative body image. These elements may damage their sense of self-worth, which subsequently impacts their general health and standard of living. Sports dance is a unique physical activity that combines artistic ability and physical prowess to positively impact college students' self-esteem. Sports dancing has also been linked to improvements in self-esteem and self-image in addition to physical health, according to earlier research. The two main goals of this study are to first compare the experimental group's self-esteem before and after they participated in sports dancing, and then to compare the experimental group's self-esteem with that of the control group.
Methodology: This study included a sample of 20 third-year undergraduate students from the Dance Department, College of Art, Chongqing University of Mechanical and Electrical Technology. The samples were divided into two groups: 10 students, consisting of 5 female and 5 male students, in both the experimental and control groups. The experimental group used the sports dance training method, while the control group used the traditional teaching method. A self-designed, expert-reviewed Rosenberg's self-esteem scale was issued before and after the experiment to determine the influence of sports dance exercises on the self-esteem of the sample group. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, and t-tests.
Result: Before engaging in sports dance training, the experimental group's mean self-esteem score was found to be 28.3, while the control group's mean score was 28.8 before receiving traditional instruction. Following the experiment, the experimental group's mean score on self-esteem increased to 35.6, while the control group's score stayed at 27.8. After taking the sports dance course, the experimental group felt more confident in themselves.  The mean score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group. Students in the experimental group demonstrated higher levels of engagement in class during sports dance training. When given chores involving dance, they showed initiative in solving problems and made their own choices. They conversed with people more and gained self-assurance when voicing their ideas. These findings imply that sports dancing significantly and favorably raised the students' self-esteem.
Conclusion: The results show that sports dance programs can help students feel better about their bodies and have higher self-esteem. Students receive timely rewards throughout the sports dance learning process, which boosts their self-esteem in the classroom and promotes greater interaction between them. By working together to create dance performances, students improve their interpersonal skills and become fully immersed in a stimulating, dynamic, and demanding learning environment. This promotes a calm and pleasurable learning environment while also helping students develop their knowledge and skills and improving their communication skills. This study provides educational institutions and schools with a workable strategy for enhancing students' mental health by introducing sports dance courses. The results also highlight sports dance's potential as a useful tool for psychological intervention. Mental health practitioners might think about introducing elements of sports dance into psychotherapy sessions to help patients feel better about themselves.