Evaluation of the effects of Lian Gong on self-efficacy for fall risk in older adults

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Lian Gong on fall-related self-efficacy in older adults before and after an eight-week intervention. Methods: This quasi-experimental, quantitative, and longitudinal study included 23 older adults (≥60 years) who participated in group-based Lian Gong sessions twice weekly for eight weeks. Fall-related self-efficacy was assessed using the Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I), categorized as low (16–19 points), moderate (20–27 points), and high concern about falls (28–64 points). Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples. Results: The mean FES-I score changed from 28.4 ± 12.0 at baseline to 29.04 ± 11.3 post-intervention. Before the intervention, 30.4% of participants reported low concern about falls, 21.7% moderate concern, and 47.8% high concern. After the intervention, 21.7% reported low concern, 34.8% moderate concern, and 43.5% high concern. Individual-level analysis showed that 61% of participants exhibited worsening scores, 35% improvement, and 4% remained unchanged. Conclusion: No statistically significant differences were observed in mean FES-I scores before and after the intervention. However, the findings suggest potential clinical benefits in subgroups with higher baseline concern, highlighting the need for future studies with larger samples, longer interventions, and controlled designs.