The Effect of Aerobic Exercise on the Basic Psychological Needs and Psychological Well-being of 12-year-old Female Students

Due to the increasing speed of life and modernization of daily activities of human beings, physical activity seems to be necessary. Exercise and physical activity are the most critical components affecting human health and mental health. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs also provides the conditions required for growth and development, cohesion, and psychological well-being. This study aimed to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on the psychological needs and well-being of 12-year-old female students in Tabriz.

The method of this research was quasi-experimental. The statistical population of this study included all 12-year-old female students in Tabriz. Sixty of them were selected by convenience sampling in two groups of 30 experimental and control. Participants completed questionnaires on the Reef Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale. In data analysis, univariate and multivariate analyses of covariance were used at a significant level (P=0.05) using SPSS v. 24 software.

The results showed that aerobic exercise significantly increased the components of competence, autonomy, and the relationship between basic psychological needs (P=0.001) as well as the components of mastery of the environment, purposefulness in life, self-acceptance (P=0.001), and Independence (P=0.018) has a significant positive effect on the psychological well-being of adolescent girls.

According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that physical activity can improve the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and psychological well-being of adolescent girls. People who exercise regularly have better psychological well-being than other people.