Recreational sports as a strategy for anxiety reduction in adolescent students

Anxiety is the most common and universal human emotion. It is a reaction of tension without an
apparent cause, but more diffuse and less focused than fear. Anxiety, as a normal emotional sensation or state in certain circumstances, is a typical response to various stressful everyday situations.

The problem arises when anxiety occurs continuously over time in situations that are not really threatening or when it is very intense. The present research aims to identify the role of recreational sports activities in combating anxiety among eighth graders. The study focuses on this category of students for two reasons: on the one hand, the demands placed on them throughout the school year because of the evaluation exam, which is particularly important for their school and even professional careers, and on the other hand, because most studies highlight the benefits of sports participation for adolescents in general, while our approach is aimed at 14-15 year olds who are preparing for an essential stage in their lives.

The research involved a group of eighth graders from a mainstream school in Bucharest. The main tool used was the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. It was completed by adolescent before and after application of the intervention programme lessons. The initial anxiety score (62.75 points) suggested a risk for anxiety disorder. After completion of the sports activity programme, the overall level of anxiety was within normal limits.

This study has demonstrated that recreational sports activities have beneficial effects on anxiety disorders.