Taekwondo is the most popular martial art in Ecuador whose benefits have not yet been investigated in the realm of psychological research. This study examined in Ecuadorian context the influence of Taekwondo training on adolescents’ mood state. Tota...
Taekwondo is the most popular martial art in Ecuador whose benefits have not yet been investigated in the realm of psychological research. This study examined in Ecuadorian context the influence of Taekwondo training on adolescents’ mood state. Total mood disturbance (TMD) was measured based on the Profile of Mood States for Adolescents (POMS-A). A series of multiple regression analysis were developed to analyze the data collected from adolescents (N = 760) from conveniently selected schools in Quito, Ecuador. The results showed that male adolescents had a lower TMD score compared to female adolescents (Coefficient (Coef) = -6.609, SE = 0.976, p < 0.001); and the same was found for younger adolescents compared to older adolescents in this study (Coef = 0.437, SE = 0.209, p < 0.05). Regarding participation in Taekwondo, adolescents with a higher Taekwondo training time reported a lower score on TMD (Coef = -0.056, SE = 0.014, p < 0.001). Also, there was a significant interaction effect between gender and Taekwondo training time (Coef = 0.058, SE = 0.027, p < 0.05). The analysis showed that in the overall role of Taekwondo training in mood improvement, female adolescents appear to be benefitted from it in a more impactful way than male adolescents. The main findings in this study indicate an enhancement in adolescents’ mood product of a longer training experience in Taekwondo. Therefore, integration of Taekwondo practice in different settings such as physical education, youth development programs, fitness facilities, and even clinical environments; is recommended.