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The effect of physical exercise on anxiety among the victims of child abuse

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Abstract

Background

The victims of child abuse show more maladaptive behaviors compared to the normal children due to the behavioral problems such as anxiety and isolation consistent with their conditions.

Aims

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of physical exercise on anxiety among the victims of child abuse.

Methods

The research method was quasi-experimental of pretest–posttest type with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all the students who were the victims of child abuse in Tehran during 2017–2018. Among them, 22 individuals were selected through random cluster sampling method and were randomly assigned into test (experimental) and control group. A pre-test was performed for both groups and then the physical exercise was applied for 8 weeks on the test group; while the control group did not receive any intervention. In the end, a post-test was performed for both groups. Data collection was conducted using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) along with using SPSS software was used to analyze the data.

Results

The results indicated that physical exercise has reduced anxiety among the victims of child abuse (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Therefore, consistent with the findings that confirm the effect of physical exercise on anxiety reduction among children who were victims of child abuse, it is recommended to design and implement physical exercise and extracurricular sport activities in order to reduce anxiety of these people.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to all the educational staff in the 7th district of Tehran who cooperated with us from the beginning of the study to its completion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

    Somayeh Naderi

  2. Faculty of Law, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran

    Samira Naderi

  3. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Delavar

  4. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

    Fariborz Dortaj

Authors
  1. Somayeh Naderi
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  2. Samira Naderi
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  3. Ali Delavar
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  4. Fariborz Dortaj
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Correspondence to Somayeh Naderi.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Naderi, S., Naderi, S., Delavar, A. et al. The effect of physical exercise on anxiety among the victims of child abuse. Sport Sci Health 15, 519–525 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-019-00538-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-019-00538-0

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