the effects of aerobic training on mental health and happiness of female students with mental retardation

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of aerobic training on mental health and happiness of mentally retarded girl students given the importance of happiness and mental health in mentally retarded children and need for intervention in order to improve these variables. The statistical population of this study included all mentally retarded girl students of Mashhad Salehe School. 30 patients were selected as sample from this population by available sampling and based on mental health (GHQ) and Oxford Happiness score (OHI). These 30 people were selected as 2 A and B groups with 15 subjects; Group A received 16 aerobic group training sessions and Group B was the control group who were on a waiting list. Covariance analysis was used in order to analyze data. The study results showed that aerobic training significantly increases happiness, mental health and reduces depression, anxiety and insomnia, physical symptoms and social dysfunction of mentally retarded students. In other words, mentally retarded children of experimental group compared to control group showed significantly increased happiness, mental health and reduced depression, anxiety, insomnia, physical symptoms and social dysfunction.