The effects of para-swimming training volume and music on emotional intelligence and quality of life

Physical disabilities, Adults, Aquatic exercise, Interventions

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing the number of swimming training sessions on emotional intelligence and quality of life; a secondary aim was to investigate the effect of listening to music during exercise on the quality of life and emotional intelligence, in both cases for people with physical disabilities. 180 subjects were recruited and randomly divided into three equal groups of 1 session per week (1SPW or control group), three sessions per week (3SPW), and three sessions per week+music (3SPW+music). Variables were quality of life and emotional intelligence assessed by the WHOQOL-Bref and Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), respectively. Bonferroni testfollowed by the Bonferroni test, were used to compare the effectiveness of the interventions. When the three groups were compared at the end of 12 weeks, a statistically significant difference was found between the control group and two experimental groups in quality of life and emotional intelligence. However, no significant difference was found between 3SPW and 3SPW+music in quality of life (except in psychological items) or emotional intelligence. This study concluded that increasing the number of training sessions (Para Swimming) could improve the quality of life and emotional intelligence in people with physical disabilities. At the same time, music failed to improve the variables when compared to the results achieved by increasing the number of sessions.