The Effectiveness of Pilates Training on Cognitive Function, Mental Wellbeing, and Students’ Hope for Education

Students have important talents whose flourishing is a necessary and basic condition for the success and development of today’s societies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Pilates training on cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and students’ hope for education.

This study is a randomized clinical trial. A total of 30 male students in the sixth grade of elementary school, aged ≥11 years, were initially allocated to either a pilates group (n=15, who underwent a 16 week Pilates exercise program) or to a control group (n=15, who did not receive any intervention). The data collection tools were the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the questionnaire of academic hope by Campbell and Cowen (2001), and the short form of mental wellbeing questionnaire by Ryff and Singer (2006). We performed the analysis of covariance for data analysis using SPSS software, version 21 at a significant level of 0.05.

Results of the analysis of covariance showed between-group differences for cognitive function (F1, 27=3.8, P=0.01), mental wellbeing (F1, 27=232.46, P=0.001), and hope for education (F1, 27=29.26, P=0.001). Therefore, Pilates training increased cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and hope for education in students.

Pilates training significantly increases cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and hope for students’ education. Therefore, it is suggested to use Pilates training for school students.