A culturally tailored Zhuang embroidery intervention for psychological well-being among Zhuang adults in the retirement transition in Guangxi: a waitlist-controlled quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND

Arts- and craft-based community programs may support psychological well-being in later life, yet few studies have examined culturally tailored ethnic heritage crafts as public health interventions in their communities of origin.

METHODS

This waitlist-controlled quasi-experimental study evaluated an eight-week intervention integrating Zhuang embroidery practice, cultural storytelling, and group exchange among community-dwelling Zhuang adults aged 55-65 years in Guangxi, China. Eighty participants were allocated by community cluster to intervention or waitlist control groups and assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 12-week follow-up. Psychological well-being was the primary outcome; loneliness, social connectedness, general well-being, ethnic identity, process perception, and qualitative interview findings were secondary or exploratory materials.

RESULTS

The intervention group showed greater immediate improvement in Ryff psychological well-being than waitlist controls. Baseline-adjusted sensitivity analysis supported the immediate Ryff signal, whereas the follow-up difference was attenuated. Secondary outcomes were less consistent: WEMWBS and loneliness showed short-term favorable movement, whereas social connectedness, WHO-5, and ethnic identity findings were weaker or exploratory. Process ratings and interviews suggested that participants recognized the cultural storytelling, needlework, and group exchange components.

CONCLUSION

The integrated Zhuang embroidery intervention appears feasible and shows preliminary promise for psychological well-being among retirement-transition Zhuang adults. Because allocation occurred at the cluster level and the intervention combined embroidery practice, cultural storytelling, and group exchange, the findings cannot separate intervention-related signals from community differences, expectancy effects, or component-specific effects. Larger multi-community and component-separated studies with longer follow-up are needed before drawing confirmatory efficacy or mechanism conclusions.