Sport Psychology Studies

Sport Psychology Studies

The Effect of Eight Weeks of Repertory and Modern Pilates Training on Quality of Life and Depressive Symptoms and Anxiety in Women with a History of Psychiatric Hospitalization

Document Type : Original research

Authors
Bahareh Mirza Rezaei 1
Mohsen Akbarpour Beni 1
Mahdi Fahimi 2
1 Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
10.22089/spsyj.2026.18960.2643
Abstract
Objective: The present study investigated the effect of Pilates exercises on depression, anxiety, and quality of life in women with depression.

Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pre-test and post-test design on two groups. The statistical population was depressed women in Qom. 150 people completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Quality of Life (SF-36) questionnaires, and 40 women with a diagnosis of depression were randomly selected and assigned to two Pilates repertory and modern groups. Both groups performed 3 60-minute Pilates sessions per week for 8 weeks. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Findings: The results showed that Pilates repertory exercise had a significant effect on reducing depression and improving quality of life (physical and mental health), but no significant effect was observed on anxiety. There was also an inverse relationship between anxiety and quality of life, and a significant direct relationship between depression and anxiety.

Conclusion: The findings show that Pilates repertoire exercises can be used as an effective method to reduce depression and improve the quality of life of depressed women.
Keywords
Repertory Pilates
Modern Pilates
Depression
Anxiety
Quality of Life
Subjects

  • Receive Date 19 December 2025
  • Revise Date 15 April 2026
  • Accept Date 22 April 2026