Effects of multicomponent exercise on quality of life, coping with stress, and psychological well-being in aged women: a randomized controlled trial

Multicomponent exercise programmes are increasingly used to address age-related physical and psychosocial challenges. However, evidence regarding their effects on quality of life, coping with stress, and psychological well-being in older women remains limited. This study aimed to determine the effects of multicomponent exercise on quality of life, coping with stress, and well-being in elderly women. This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial with pre-test and post-test measurements. A total of 40 elderly women were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups using a simple randomization method. The intervention group performed multicomponent exercise twice a week for eight weeks. The control group did not perform any exercises. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Short Form, Stress Coping Style Scale and Well-Being Scale. In the data analysis, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed, with baseline (pre-test) measurements included as covariates. A statistically significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups in post-test scores of the physical domain of the Quality of Life Scale (F = 4.72, p = 0.036). For the Stress Coping Styles Scale, statistically significant differences were observed between post-test scores of the helpless approach (F = 8.46, p = 0.006) and the submissive approach (F = 6.42, p = 0.016). No statistically significant difference was found between the post-test scores of the Well-Being Scale (F = 0.98, p = 0.328). The findings of this study indicate that the multicomponent exercise program did not result in a statistically significant change in well-being among older women. However, statistically significant differences were identified in the physical domain of quality of life and in coping styles, specifically the helpless and submissive approaches. These findings suggest that the program may contribute to certain aspects of quality of life and stress coping. Further studies with longer intervention periods and follow-up assessments are recommended. Exercise programs integrating physical and psychosocial components may be explored to better address the multidimensional needs of older adults. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov, Trial registration number: NCT06849427 Initial data of registration: 01.14.2025 Last data of registration: 07.24.2025