Volume 6, Issue 4 (Vol 6, No 4 (22)- In Press 2026)
2026, 6(4): 596-609 |
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Ethics code: IR.QOM.REC.1402.045
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Fahimi M, Alavi K, Salimi F. (2026). Effect of an Integrated Sports Mindfulness Program on Reducing Stress and Anxiety in Second-Grade Elementary School Girls: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal of Childhood Health and Education. 6(4), 596-609. doi:10.32598/JECHE.6.4.413.1
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-370-en.html
URL: http://jeche.ir/article-1-370-en.html
1- Department of Sport Sciences/ Motor Behavior, Faculty of Humanities, University of Qom. Qom, Iran.
2- Department of Sport Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Shahab Danesh, Qom, Iran.
2- Department of Sport Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Shahab Danesh, Qom, Iran.
Abstract: (167 Views)
Background and Aim This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combined sports mindfulness program on reducing stress and cognitive and somatic anxiety among female elementary school students. Given growing concerns about children’s mental health and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying effective interventions in this field is particularly crucial.
Research Methods This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a parallel control group. The statistical population consisted of all girls in the second year of elementary school in Qom in the academic year 2023-2024. The sample size was estimated to be 60 using the Cochran formula with a confidence level of 95% and a test power of 80%. The subjects were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The instruments used included the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (1983), the Cognitive-Somatic Anxiety Inventory (2003), and the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) (2011). Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 26 utilizing the dependent t-test, multivariate analysis of covariance, and one-way analysis of covariance. The assumptions of data normality and homogeneity of variances were examined and confirmed using the Shapiro-Wilk and Levene’s tests, respectively.
Results The experimental group experienced a significant reduction in stress (32.09%), cognitive anxiety (22.93%), and physical anxiety (28.13%) scores compared to the control group. Analysis of variance showed a significant overall effect for the intervention. The combined effect size was 0.42, indicating a clinically significant effect of the intervention. Also, logistic regression analysis showed that history of exercise was a significant predictor of response to the intervention.
Conclusion The findings confirm the effectiveness of combined mindfulness-exercise programs in reducing stress and anxiety in elementary school female students. These results can serve as a scientific basis for designing school-based programs in the field of promoting children’s mental health. It is recommended that future studies be conducted with longer follow-up periods and larger samples.
Research Methods This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a parallel control group. The statistical population consisted of all girls in the second year of elementary school in Qom in the academic year 2023-2024. The sample size was estimated to be 60 using the Cochran formula with a confidence level of 95% and a test power of 80%. The subjects were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The instruments used included the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (1983), the Cognitive-Somatic Anxiety Inventory (2003), and the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) (2011). Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 26 utilizing the dependent t-test, multivariate analysis of covariance, and one-way analysis of covariance. The assumptions of data normality and homogeneity of variances were examined and confirmed using the Shapiro-Wilk and Levene’s tests, respectively.
Results The experimental group experienced a significant reduction in stress (32.09%), cognitive anxiety (22.93%), and physical anxiety (28.13%) scores compared to the control group. Analysis of variance showed a significant overall effect for the intervention. The combined effect size was 0.42, indicating a clinically significant effect of the intervention. Also, logistic regression analysis showed that history of exercise was a significant predictor of response to the intervention.
Conclusion The findings confirm the effectiveness of combined mindfulness-exercise programs in reducing stress and anxiety in elementary school female students. These results can serve as a scientific basis for designing school-based programs in the field of promoting children’s mental health. It is recommended that future studies be conducted with longer follow-up periods and larger samples.
Keywords: Cognitive anxiety, Childhood stress, Elementary student, Somatic anxiety, Sports mindfulness
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/09/17 | Accepted: 2026/01/3 | Published: 2026/01/3
Received: 2025/09/17 | Accepted: 2026/01/3 | Published: 2026/01/3
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