Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning

Abstract Introduction: Numerous studies have shown that physical activity can serve as an effective therapeutic intervention for depression. However, recent research has emphasized the importance of integrating psychological techniques such as functional imagery into exercise programs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of a combined program of physical activity and functional imagery on psychomotor indices and sleep quality in individuals with major depressive disorder.
Methods: In this clinical trial, 60 patients with major depressive disorder (mean age = 32.92 years, SD = 4.7) were randomly assigned to three groups: a physical activity group, a combined group (physical activity and functional imagery), and a control group. All participants were evaluated at four stages: pretest, an 8‑week intervention, posttest, and a 1‑month follow‑up. The measured variables included depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and reaction time (Nelson Movement Speed Test). Data were analyzed using two‑way mixed analysis of variance (within‑subjects factors: pretest, posttest, and follow‑up; between‑subjects factors: physical activity, combined, and control) and Bonferroni post hoc tests.
Results: The results showed that the combined group significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety and improved reaction time compared to the control group. Both intervention groups were effective in reducing depressive symptoms, but only the combined group was effective in improving sleep quality.
Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the combination of physical activity and functional imagery is a comprehensive and effective therapeutic approach for depression. This method not only alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety but also improves psychomotor indices. The results of this study could contribute to improving treatment programs for patients with major depressive disorder.

Abstract Background: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of eight weeks of group games and creativity on the shyness, anxiety and creativity of preschool children in Gonbad Kavus city.
Methods: This research was a quasi-experimental study and field study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The population of this research was made up of six-year-old preschool children in Gonbadkavoos city in the academic year of 1401-1402. For this purpose, 30 six-year-old preschool children were selected as volunteers and available. Participants were randomly divided into three groups of 10 (group games group, creativity- based games group, and control group). Both experimental groups participated in 8 weeks and two sessions each week, each session lasting 45 minutes. In order to collect data before the implementation and after the completion of the intervention, Spence Anxiety Questionnaire (2003), Stanford Shyness Questionnaire (2008) and Torrance Creativity Questionnaire (1979) were used and for data analysis One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test were used.
Results: The results of data analysis showed that there is a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups in terms of shyness, anxiety and creativity (P<0.001) and group games and creativity-based games promoted creativity and reduced shyness and anxiety in the experimental group compared to the control group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: According to the findings of the research, that, in addition to the usual interventions for students, a variety of group and creativity-based games should be used to promote creativity and reduce shyness and anxiety.

Abstract Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness training and PETTLEP imagery on competitive state anxiety and the performance of equestrian athletes.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, which was conducted with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group, 30 professional adult equestrians were selected conveniently and were randomly assigned into three Mental Imagery, Mindfulness, and Control groups. In the pre-test and the post-test phases, the participants completed the Persian version of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, and then their jumping performance was measured in a simulated competition by the jury. In the intervention stage, a 90-minute session was held in 6 weeks, in which the training groups dealt with the desired interventions. Data were analyzed using dependent t-tests, Univariate, and Multivariate Analyses of Covariance with Bonferroni's post hoc test.
Results: The study's results showed that mindfulness has a significant effect on sports performance (P=0.025), physical anxiety (P=0.030), cognitive anxiety (P=0.015), and self-confidence (P=0.0001). Also, imagery has a significant effect on sports performance (P=0.039), physical anxiety (P=0.016), cognitive anxiety (P=0.033), and self-confidence (P=0.033). Other results indicated that there is no significant difference between the effect of mindfulness and imagery on the anxiety, self-confidence, and performance of equestrian athletes in show jumping discipline (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In general, the results of the study suggest the use of mindfulness training and PETTLEP mental imagery interventions as practical, safe, and effective training methods to reduce competitive state anxiety, and to improve the performance of equestrian athletes in show jumping discipline.

Abstract Introduction: Psychological disorders have a high prevalence among the population with diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of combined training on the levels of anger, happiness, and anxiety of women with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Thirty-seven women with type-2 diabetes were randomly assigned into two training (18 people, age: 60.6 ± 6.3 years, body mass index: 30.2 ± 1.3 kg/m² and fasting blood sugar: 161.4 ± 15.1 mg/dL) and control (19 people, age: 60.6 ± 6.4 years, body mass index: 29.9 ± 1.2 kg/m2 and fasting blood sugar: 169.1 ± 16.1 mg/dL) groups. The training program consisted of 20 minutes of aerobic training with 50-75 % of heart rate reserve and also 40 minutes of resistance training with 50-75 % of 1RM, three sessions per week for 12 weeks. STAXI-2, PSWQ and Oxford Happiness Questionnaires were completed before and 48 hours after the training intervention. The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, paired samples t-test and Analysis of Covariance statistical tests at a significance level of P<0.05. Results: The results showed that after the training intervention, the subjects' anger (0.001) and worry (0.001) levels decreased and their happiness levels (0.001) increased significantly both compared with the pre-test and compared with the control group. Conclusion: It seems that 12 weeks of combined training (resistance + aerobic) is suitable for improving disorders related to anger, happiness, and anxiety in women with type-2 diabetes and also can help these people manage this disease and related complications.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to compare pain related cognitions and selective attention to painful stimuli in athletes with and without a history of skeletal muscle injury.The present study was an applied and quasi-experimental research.

The population under study included 60 professional and semi-professional male athletes in different fields of sport, 30 of whom had a history of musculoskeletal injury who had been in the field for at least two months. Sports were far, far away. The sampling method was accessible and purposeful. The instruments used in this study were questionnaires of fear of movement, earache and pain anxiety. Selective attention to painful stimuli was measured using the spot exploration test designed and constructed for the present study. The data were analyzed using independent t-test.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between two groups of athletes with and without a history of injury. Also in other cognitive indices, fear of movement, consciousness, and ear-to-ear pain and anxiety-related anxiety scores were higher than those without a history of injury.

Athletes are subject to many injuries due to the nature of the exercise. It is important to pay attention to identify the important cognitive factors involved in the perception of post-traumatic pain and the existence of appropriate rehabilitation programs and therapies to improve the mental and post-traumatic mental involvement of athletes along with attention to physiological factors and physical recovery.

Abstract Anxiety and self-confidence are factors that affect performance. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of mindfulness and mental imagery training on the psychophysiological response of anxiety and self-confidence in students’ officer. This method was semi-experimental. 45 male officers who voluntarily participated in this study and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (mindfulness and mental imagery) and one control group. The score of anxiety and self-confidence, as well as levels of salivary cortisol were measured in three groups. The experimental groups performed 6 sessions of specific training. Finally, the post-test has conducted in three groups according to the pre-test. The results indicated that mindfulness and imaging training had a significant effect on the level of salivary cortisol, anxiety, and self-confidence. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of effectiveness (p > 0.05). In general, it can be concluded that mindfulness and mental imagery training could be a strategy to reduce anxiety and improve self-confidence in officer students. Therefore, it is suggested to the providers and teachers in the military organs that by holding workshops and using these strategies to reduce anxiety and enhance self-confidence and consequently to improve students’ performance.
Therefore, it is suggested to the providers and teachers in the military organs that by holding workshops and using these strategies to reduce anxiety and enhance self-confidence and consequently to improve students’ performance.

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the positive effects of forced and
voluntary exercises as a non-pharmacological factor on modified behaviors
due to stress of separation from mother. In the present study, 48 male baby
rats were selected and separated from their mothers from day 2 to 14 for 180
minutes. On the 21st day, these rats were randomly divided into 4 groups.
The groups included maternal stress, control, treadmill, running wheel (RW).
The first group experienced stress of separation from their mothers from day
2 to 14 and the control group was kept from the beginning with their
mothers. The exercise groups also began to exercise since their 21st birth
day. Then, the groups conducted behavioral anxiety and rodent depression
tests including EPM, Splash, FST, and Open Field. The obtained data were
statistically analyzed by t and ANOVA methods at a significance level
(P<0.05). Behavioral tests showed that the stress of separation from the
mother caused depression behaviors. On the other hand, voluntary exercise
caused antidepressant effects compared with the stress group while no
significant changes were observed between the effect of forced exercise and
the stress group. The results showed that exercise, especially voluntary
exercise, reduces stress during adolescence, and reduces depression and
anxiety behaviors in adulthood.

Abstract The aim of this study was to predict expert archers’ performance on the basis of psychological factors such as arousal, activation, anxiety, motivation and personality characteristics with an emphasis on extraversion / introversion dimension. In this predictive correlation study, 34 expert archers were randomly selected as the sample of the study out of the archers of national team (statistical population). Skin conductance level was measured to assess arousal. To determine trait anxiety, Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) and for state anxiety, Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2) were used. Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) was used to determine motivation. Extraversion / introversion level was measured by eysenck personality questionnaire. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the level of correlation and linear multivariate regression was used to predict subjects’ performance. The results indicated a significant positive relationship between subjects’ performance and arousal, activation, motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic) and extraversion / introversion whereas there was no significant relationship between their performance and anxiety (trait, cognitive, somatic) and consequently they could not predict performance. Also, the results revealed that arousal and activation (P<0.05, F(2,31)=79.418, R2=0.837), intrinsic motivation (P<0.05, F(1,30)=1031.826 , R2=0.972) and extraversion/introversion (P<0.05, F(1,33)= 330.199, R2=0.909) were significant predictors of archers’ performance. Furthermore, extrinsic motivation could not predict performance. It is recommended that coaches pay attention to these factors when they intend to educate, select and involve archers in matches.