Effect of Structured Physical Activity on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Adults with Combined Mental and Physical Health Disorders: A Randomized Experimental Study for Nursing and Rehabilitation Practice

Smaely, Leila; Khalifeh Soltani, Marziyeh; Mohammadkhani, Narges

doi:10.22089/spsyj.2026.19211.2678

Effect of Structured Physical Activity on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Adults with Combined Mental and Physical Health Disorders: A Randomized Experimental Study for Nursing and Rehabilitation Practice

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original research

Authors

Leila Smaely ¹

Marziyeh Khalifeh Soltani ²

Narges Mohammadkhani ³

¹ Yazd Provincial Department of Education, Yazd, Iran.

² Assistant professor in sport management, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.

³ MS in Motor Behaviour, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22089/spsyj.2026.19211.2678

Abstract

Objective: Physical activity has shown promise in improving cognitive and motor functions, yet evidence in populations with combined mental-physical comorbidities remains limited. This study aimed to examine the effect of structured physical activity on cognitive and motor outcomes in adults with coexisting mental and physical health disorders.

Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 adults (age 18–65) diagnosed with both mental and physical health conditions. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=30), receiving an 8-week structured multi-component physical activity program, or a control group (n=30), receiving standard care. Standard tools were utilized for measuring research variables. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Significant group × time interactions were observed for all primary outcomes. The experimental group showed improvements in MoCA (p < 0.001), TUG (p < 0.001), 6MWT (p < 0.001), and BBS (p < 0.001), whereas the control group showed no significant changes.

Conclusion: Structured physical activity significantly enhances cognitive and motor functions in adults with mental-physical comorbidities. Implementation of multi-component exercise programs should be considered in nursing and rehabilitation practice to improve functional independence and quality of life in this population.

Keywords

Physical Activity

Cognitive Function

Motor Skills

Mental Disorders

Subjects