A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns

This study investigates the effects of embodied (breathing exercises) and cognitive interventions on adolescents’ flow experience and cognition patterns. Using a mixed-methods design, 303 vocational high school students were assigned to three groups: Embodied Task Group (<i>N</i> = 108),...

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Main Authors: Chujie Liang, Jiahao Zhi, Cong Su, Weichun Xue, Zixi Liu, Haosheng Ye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/768
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author Chujie Liang
Jiahao Zhi
Cong Su
Weichun Xue
Zixi Liu
Haosheng Ye
author_facet Chujie Liang
Jiahao Zhi
Cong Su
Weichun Xue
Zixi Liu
Haosheng Ye
author_sort Chujie Liang
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the effects of embodied (breathing exercises) and cognitive interventions on adolescents’ flow experience and cognition patterns. Using a mixed-methods design, 303 vocational high school students were assigned to three groups: Embodied Task Group (<i>N</i> = 108), Cognitive Task Group (<i>N</i> = 100), and Mental Health Course Group (<i>N</i> = 95). Experiment 1 employed a 3×2 Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) design to compare flow experience dimensions, while Experiment 2 used Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) to analyze diary entries. Results showed that the Embodied Task Group outperformed the Cognitive Task Group in “Unambiguous Feedback” (η<i><sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.01, a small effect) and had higher “Transformation of Time” (η<i><sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.01, a small effect) than the Mental Health Course Group. ENA revealed that the Embodied Group developed stronger body-environment interaction patterns, shifting cognition pattern from psychological evaluations to dynamic bodily processes over time. Conversely, the Cognitive Task Group maintained event-focused cognition with weaker mind–body integration. Findings highlight breathing exercises’ potential to enhance flow experience through embodied awareness and multisensory processing, offering practical implications for mental health education by promoting embodied learning tasks to foster flow experience.
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spelling doaj-art-fb6763ae76a44d53923e32efdce3eef52025-08-20T03:26:17ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-06-0115676810.3390/bs15060768A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive PatternsChujie Liang0Jiahao Zhi1Cong Su2Weichun Xue3Zixi Liu4Haosheng Ye5Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaThis study investigates the effects of embodied (breathing exercises) and cognitive interventions on adolescents’ flow experience and cognition patterns. Using a mixed-methods design, 303 vocational high school students were assigned to three groups: Embodied Task Group (<i>N</i> = 108), Cognitive Task Group (<i>N</i> = 100), and Mental Health Course Group (<i>N</i> = 95). Experiment 1 employed a 3×2 Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) design to compare flow experience dimensions, while Experiment 2 used Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) to analyze diary entries. Results showed that the Embodied Task Group outperformed the Cognitive Task Group in “Unambiguous Feedback” (η<i><sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.01, a small effect) and had higher “Transformation of Time” (η<i><sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.01, a small effect) than the Mental Health Course Group. ENA revealed that the Embodied Group developed stronger body-environment interaction patterns, shifting cognition pattern from psychological evaluations to dynamic bodily processes over time. Conversely, the Cognitive Task Group maintained event-focused cognition with weaker mind–body integration. Findings highlight breathing exercises’ potential to enhance flow experience through embodied awareness and multisensory processing, offering practical implications for mental health education by promoting embodied learning tasks to foster flow experience.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/768flow experiencebreathing exerciseadolescents’ mental healthembodied education
spellingShingle Chujie Liang
Jiahao Zhi
Cong Su
Weichun Xue
Zixi Liu
Haosheng Ye
A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
Behavioral Sciences
flow experience
breathing exercise
adolescents’ mental health
embodied education
title A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
title_full A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
title_fullStr A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
title_full_unstemmed A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
title_short A Study on the Effects of Embodied and Cognitive Interventions on Adolescents’ Flow Experience and Cognitive Patterns
title_sort study on the effects of embodied and cognitive interventions on adolescents flow experience and cognitive patterns
topic flow experience
breathing exercise
adolescents’ mental health
embodied education
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/768
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