Research Information System
BMC PSYCHOLOGY, vol.14, pp.249-266, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Background: Wrestling is a physically and mentally demanding combat sport that requires discipline, focus, and 37 emotional control. Although its physiological effects are well documented, its psychological benefits in 38 adolescents remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine whether a short-term, non-competitive wrestling 39 program could enhance psychological well-being, reduce sport anxiety, and strengthen resilience in adolescent 40 boys. 41 Methods: Thirty sedentary male adolescents (aged 12–15 years) were randomly assigned to a wrestling training 42 group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The intervention consisted of six weeks of supervised wrestling sessions 43 performed three times per week. Psychological well-being (WHO-5), sport anxiety (SAS-2), and resilience 44 (BPRS) were assessed before and after the intervention using the validated Turkish versions of the scales. Two45 way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze group × time interactions. 46 Results: Participants in the wrestling group demonstrated significant improvements in well-being (p < 0.001) and 47 resilience (p < 0.001), alongside marked reductions in total sport anxiety and its subdimensions (p < 0.001), 48 compared with the control group. All effects were large (ηp² = 0.52–0.94). 49 Conclusion: A structured six-week wrestling program produced meaningful psychological benefits in adolescent 50 boys. Regular participation in non-competitive wrestling may serve as an effective approach to promote well51 being, emotional stability, and adaptive coping skills during early adolescence, supporting the preventive and 52 developmental role of combat sports in youth mental health 53