Journal of Advances in Para-Sport Science
A peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal dedicated to the advancement of sports sciences for individuals with diverse abilities

The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Self-esteem and Mental Health of Adoles-cent Girls in Orphanages

Authors

Parnian Emtehani 1
Mohammad VaezMousavi 2

1 M.A. in Sports Psychology, Department of Sports Sciences and Health, Imam Reza International University of Mashhad

2 Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Physical Education, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on self-esteem and mental health of adolescent girls in orphanages in Mashhad. This quasi-experimental study was a pretest-posttest with a control group. The participants included 30 adolescent girls from orphanages, aged 17 to 25, who voluntarily participated in the research. Aerobic exercises were performed for 8 weeks, three 45-minute sessions per week. Shapiro-Wilk, ANCOVA, and Sidak tests were used to analyze the data. The results showed that aerobic exercise has a significant effect on increasing self-esteem and improving mental health of adolescent girls in orphanages. These findings indicate that aerobic exercise as an effective intervention can help improve mental health and self-esteem in vulnerable groups such as adolescents in orphanages. The findings are also consistent with previous domestic and international research and emphasize the importance of including physical activity in adolescent support and empowerment programs.

Keywords

Aerobic Exercises
self-esteem
mental health
adolescent girls in orphanages
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Journal of Advances in Para-Sport Science
Volume 5, Issue 1 - Serial Number 12
Volume 5, Issue 2 will be published soon.......... Under Review: Digital and AI-Driven Transformation in Para-Sport Organizations: A Narrative... The Role of Shoulder Strength and Range of Motion in Predicting Shoulder ... Effects of 12 Weeks of Yoga versus Resistance Training on Premenstrual... Policy Approaches to Women with Disabilities in Sport across Asia: Between... Challenges of Measuring Intelligence in Athletes with Intellectual Impairments...
February 2025
Pages 142-151