Sport as a pedagogical tool in higher education: effects on depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being in university students. A systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64197/Kronos.1.25.1043Keywords:
physical activity, sport, higher education, mental health, pedagogical interventionAbstract
Objective: To systematically synthesize evidence on the effects of sport-, physical activity-, or exercise-based interventions with a pedagogical/educational component on mental health outcomes measured with validated instruments in university students.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020. Searches were completed on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Scopus (n=128), ScienceDirect (n=110), Web of Science (n=657), and SPORTDiscus (n=25), yielding 920 records. After removing duplicates (n=93), 827 titles/abstracts were screened and 709 records were excluded. An advanced abstract screening excluded 78 additional records (mainly due to lack of a structured intervention), and 40 reports were sought for full-text retrieval; one report was not retrieved. Thirty-nine full texts were assessed, 26 were excluded with documented reasons, and 13 studies were included.
Results: Included studies (n=13) comprised randomized trials and non-randomized intervention designs, with substantial heterogeneity in intervention dose, delivery mode (in-person, online, or immersive technologies), and outcome measures (e.g., DASS‑21, BDI/BDI‑II, SDS, HAMD, PSS, WHO‑5). Overall, structured interventions integrating pedagogical features were associated with improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, and/or well-being; however, confidence in these findings was constrained by risk of bias and methodological variability. Certainty of evidence by outcome, assessed with GRADE, ranged from low to very low.
Conclusion: Sport and physical activity interventions embedded within pedagogical strategies may support university mental health, but more rigorous controlled studies are needed to strengthen causal inference and guide implementation in higher education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Erwin Farid Peña-Ardila, Paula Lizeth Mateus-Gómez
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