Health benefits of Tai Chi

Abstract

This article describes the psychometric validation of the Health Benefits of Tai Chi scale using a population of older Australians living in urban areas in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The aim of the scale is to measure the health benefits of Tai Chi. The validation of the scale included both internal consistency and construct validity tests. Exploratory factor analysis yielded six health benefit factors. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was high (.979), indicating a high level of internal consistency. Factor analysis revealed common patterns for many questions between the Australian sample and the factors identified in previous studies, indicating a high level of construct validity. Conclusions: This article supports the validity of the Health Benefits of Tai Chi Scale for assessing the perception and feelings of older Australians who practice Tai Chi. Keywords: Health benefits, Tai Chi