Taekwondo Training Improves Mood and Sociability in Children from Multicultural Families in South Korea: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Hee-Tae Roh, Su-Youn Cho and Wi-Young So
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Hee-Tae Roh: Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Physical Education, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea
Su-Youn Cho: Department of Taekwondo, Youngsan University, Yangsan-si 50510, Korea
Wi-Young So: Sports and Health Care Major, College of Humanities and Arts, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-si 27469, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Purpose: Children from multicultural families face physical, social, mental, and intellectual hurdles; however, relative interventions are lacking in South Korea (hereafter Korea) in this regard. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of regular Taekwondo (TKD) training on physical fitness, mood, sociability, and cognitive functions in these children. Methods: This study included 30 children from multicultural families in Korea who were randomly assigned to a TKD group ( n = 15) and control group ( n = 15). The children in TKD group underwent 16 weeks of TKD training once a week for 60 min. Each participant underwent a basic fitness test and sociability questionnaire before and after the intervention. Furthermore, we examined the changes in the mood and cognitive function by determining the profile of mood states (POMS), and Stroop color and word test, respectively. Results: Results of the Stork test of balance were significantly higher in the TKD group after intervention ( p < 0.05). In terms of sub-variables, POMS, tension, and depression scores were significantly lower ( p < 0.05) after the intervention, while the vigor score was significantly higher in the intervention group than those in the control group ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, sociability and ‘being left out’ score, a sub-variable of sociability, was significantly lower ( p < 0.05) after the intervention, while sociability score was significantly higher ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that participation in regular TKD training can be effective for balanced improvements in variables of basic fitness and that it exerts a positive effect on the mood and development of sociability.

Keywords: taekwondo; sociality; mood state; multicultural family; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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