Ameliorating social anxiety in rural left-behind children through line dance combined with multisensory stimulation

Objectives Rural left-behind children in China are at increased risk of social anxiety, which may negatively affect their emotional well-being and social adaptation. This study aimed to examine whether line dance combined with multisensory stimulation could reduce social anxiety in this vulnerable population (R4-C1). Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 86 children in grades 5–6 from Huangdu Primary School, Hunan Province. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups: control (CG), line dance only (LDG), line dance with visual stimulation (LVG), and line dance with multisensory stimulation (LMG). The intervention lasted 12 weeks, with sessions held three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), followed by a 6-week follow-up period to assess the sustainability of the effects. Social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and social avoidance/distress were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up using validated scales. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0. A 4 × 2 repeated-measures ANOVA (group × time) was conducted, with Greenhouse–Geisser correction applied when necessary and Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc tests for significant interactions. Statistical significance was set at p 0.05 (R4-C1). Results Baseline assessments showed no significant differences among the groups ( p 0.05). Significant Group × Time interactions were observed for social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and social avoidance/distress (all p 0.01), indicating differential effects of the interventions over time. All intervention groups showed significant reductions in these measures after the 12-week intervention, which were largely maintained at follow-up. The combined line dance and multisensory group (LMG) exhibited the largest and most sustained improvements compared with LDG and LVG (R4-C1). Conclusion Line dance, particularly when combined with multisensory stimulation, may represent a promising non-pharmacological approach for reducing social anxiety among rural left-behind children. The findings highlight the potential value of integrating rhythmic movement with sensory enrichment within school-based mental health interventions. Importantly, this study extends the existing evidence on accessible and low-cost psychosocial strategies in resource-limited settings, while also providing practical guidance for educators and policymakers seeking scalable and developmentally appropriate approaches to enhance emotional well-being and social functioning among vulnerable child populations (R4-C1).