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Elahe Nouri1 
, Mahboubeh Ghayour najafabadi *2 , Zeinab Bahrami1 , Ali Nasiri3 , Isis Kelly dos Santos4
, Mahboubeh Ghayour najafabadi *2 , Zeinab Bahrami1 , Ali Nasiri3 , Isis Kelly dos Santos4
1- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. ,m.ghayournaj@ut.ac.ir
3- Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoro, Brazil.
2- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. ,
3- Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Rio Grande do Norte, Mossoro, Brazil.
Abstract: (20 Views)
Objectives: Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent physical problems in older adults and is often accompanied by psychological outcomes such as depression and social anxiety. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrated motor and self-compassion interventions on depression and social anxiety in older adults with chronic pain.
Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population comprised older adults over 60 years residing in Tehran. A total of 48 participants were conveniently selected and randomly assigned to four groups of 12. Assessment tools included the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Social Phobia Inventory. Interventions were conducted over eight sessions. Data were analyzed using Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests, followed by multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS26.
Results: The mean age of participants was 70.0 ± 1.62 years. MANCOVA revealed significant differences among the groups in depression (F (3, 43) = 40.27, P < 0.001, η² = 0.737, 95% CI: 38.1–42.6) and social anxiety (F (3, 43) = 35.57, P < 0.001, η² = 0.713, 95% CI: 33.9–37.2). Posttest means showed reductions in both depression and social anxiety across all intervention groups, with the combined intervention demonstrating the greatest effect. Posttest depression scores were 42.09 ± 3.73 (self-compassion), 41.08 ± 3.69 (motor exercises), and 38.94 ± 3.21 (combined intervention). Social anxiety scores were 36.18 ± 3.18, 35.26 ± 3.02, and 33.02 ± 3.59, respectively. Bonferroni post hoc tests confirmed the superiority of the combined intervention (P≤0.05).
Conclusion: Combining motor exercises with self-compassion training is more effective in reducing depression and social anxiety in older adults with chronic pain than either intervention alone. These findings support a mind–body synergy approach, highlighting the value of multidimensional interventions in addressing both physiological and psychological mechanisms.
Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population comprised older adults over 60 years residing in Tehran. A total of 48 participants were conveniently selected and randomly assigned to four groups of 12. Assessment tools included the Visual Analogue Scale for pain, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Social Phobia Inventory. Interventions were conducted over eight sessions. Data were analyzed using Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests, followed by multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS26.
Results: The mean age of participants was 70.0 ± 1.62 years. MANCOVA revealed significant differences among the groups in depression (F (3, 43) = 40.27, P < 0.001, η² = 0.737, 95% CI: 38.1–42.6) and social anxiety (F (3, 43) = 35.57, P < 0.001, η² = 0.713, 95% CI: 33.9–37.2). Posttest means showed reductions in both depression and social anxiety across all intervention groups, with the combined intervention demonstrating the greatest effect. Posttest depression scores were 42.09 ± 3.73 (self-compassion), 41.08 ± 3.69 (motor exercises), and 38.94 ± 3.21 (combined intervention). Social anxiety scores were 36.18 ± 3.18, 35.26 ± 3.02, and 33.02 ± 3.59, respectively. Bonferroni post hoc tests confirmed the superiority of the combined intervention (P≤0.05).
Conclusion: Combining motor exercises with self-compassion training is more effective in reducing depression and social anxiety in older adults with chronic pain than either intervention alone. These findings support a mind–body synergy approach, highlighting the value of multidimensional interventions in addressing both physiological and psychological mechanisms.
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