Mental well-being of sporting women

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PhD, Associate Professor A.E. Terentyev1, 2
PhD, Associate Professor S.A. Vodyakha3
PhD, Associate Professor Y.E. Vodyakha3
PhD L.S. Aristov2
1Ural Federal University (UrFU), Yekaterinburg
2Regional Physical Education and Sports Center, Karate Department, Yekaterinburg
3Ural State Pedagogical University (USPU), Yekaterinburg

Objective of the study was to test benefits of habitual physical training and sporting lifestyles for the 25-42 year-old women’s mental health and wellness.
Methods and structure of the study. We randomly sampled for the study the 25-42 year-old (32.7 years on average, SD =.51) women (n=78) residing in Yekaterinburg with representative variations in ages, education levels and socio-economic situations. The sample was tested in February through April 2019. We split the sample into an unsporting Reference Group (RG, n= 38) and habitually sporting/ physical education and sports-devoted Experimental Group (EG, n= 48).
Results and conclusion. The test and survey data analyzed herein give us good grounds to believe that physical progress is associated with mental well-being progress – in agreement with the prior study findings.
The sporting versus unsporting women’s group mental well-being / mental health test differences showed the habitual physical training and sports being mostly beneficial for the following: individual self-control and self-management mechanisms; stress tolerance; independence; and self-esteem. On the whole, the study demonstrated benefits of habitual physical training and sporting lifestyles for the 25-42 year-old women’s mental health and well-being.

Keywords: mental well-being, physical education, mental health, emotional status, physical activity.

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