Integrated Physical Education for Mental Health: Enhancing Emotional Regulation, Self-Esteem, and Stress Resilience in Adolescents through Sports, Mindfulness, and Reflection

This research explored how a planned physical education program, which combined team sports, mindfulness activities, and reflective exercises, could support the mental health of high school adolescents. Using a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-assessments, the study included 60 teenagers (30 boys and 30 girls, aged 15–17) who were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Over eight weeks, the intervention group participated in structured sessions focused on emotional regulation, while the control group continued with standard physical education. Psychological outcomes were assessed using the Emotional Balance Scale (EBS), Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Analyses included Shapiro-Wilk tests, Cronbach’s alpha, paired t-tests, and a 2×2 Mixed-Design ANOVA. The intervention group showed significant improvements in emotional balance (M = 2.90 to 4.60; p < 0.01, d = 2.002), self-esteem (M = 41.00 to 57.50; p < 0.001, d = 2.134), and reduced stress (M = 19.80 to 12.10; p < 0.01, d = –2.432). No significant changes occurred in the control group. ANOVA confirmed significant Group × Time interactions (p < 0.001) with large effect sizes (η² > 0.38). These findings demonstrate that integrating emotional development strategies into physical education can significantly enhance adolescents’ psychological well-being. The results support incorporating structured, multidimensional programs into school curricula to improve emotional regulation, self-esteem, and stress resilience.