Date of Award

12-2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Program

Counselor Education

Department

Counselor Education

Major Professor

Zarus Watson

Second Advisor

Mark Bonis

Third Advisor

Christopher Belser

Abstract

Although anxiety is a frequently researched topic, the growing numbers of diagnosed cases and the state of the present outcomes warrant the study of alternative approaches to address the causes and conditions of its prevalence, as well as possible adaptive strategies and tactics to improve outcomes for clients with anxiety. Counseling distinguishes itself in part due to its focus on well-being rather than mere alleviation of diagnosed symptoms. As such, it may be useful to measure the likelihood of some strategies and tactics associated with improved well-being in attempting to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

This study measured the practice of martial arts and the perceived importance of martial arts practice as a possible practice that might lower anxiety as well as increase well-being. This was measured through a Kruskal Wallis test and Spearman correlation to compare the practice of martial arts and its importance against scores on the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Wellness Self-Efficacy Scales, with demographic variables of age, gender, ethnicity, US geographic region, and education level among 527 adult participants residing within the United States or its territories.

Practice of the martial arts and its perceived importance displayed significant relationships on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (p > .05 & p > .001, respectively), and significant relationships on the Wellness Self-Efficacy Scales (p > .001 for both values). Significant relationships ranged from extremely weak to moderate between the practice of martial arts, its importance, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Wellness Self-Efficacy Scales, where a significant and very strong relationship was displayed between the practice of martial arts and its perceived importance to well-being.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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