Therapeutic physical activity as a recreational intervention for anger control among students with physical disability: a behavioral model

Therapeutic Physical Activity (TPA) is an unaddressed behavioral recreational method in anger management programs in higher education in Egypt, especially among students with physical disabilities (SWPD).

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of an 8-week TPA intervention on the severity of anger in male university students with physical disabilities in Egypt.

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) design (parallel-group) was used with 140 male undergraduate students at Minia University who were randomly divided into an 8-week TPA group (n = 70) and a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group (n = 70). Severity of anger was measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention with the PROMIS Anger Short Form 8a.

There was a clinically significant and statistically significant difference between the TPA and controls in the severity of anger, F(1, 137) = 48.62, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.262, with a mean difference of -10.42 T-score points (95% CI: -13.48, -7.36) greater than the MCID. Reductions in anger were not associated with physical functioning changes, indicating non-physiological mechanisms. Moderately positive relationships were found between adherence and anger reduction (r = 0.42; p < 0.001), and sensitivity analyses showed that the results were consistent across disability severity.

TPA is a culturally affirming, body-based, anger-management approach that incorporates adaptive sports and behavioral learning for SWPD emotion regulation. Therapeutic recreation may be implemented as a low-stigma, easy-to-access supplemental mental health support program in the University disability services, especially for male students in collectivist contexts.