The role of recreational therapy in anger control reactions among students in King Faisal University as a behavior intervention program
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Context and relevance. The problems with anger management pose a major risk to the psychological health and academic performance of university students. Objective. This research aimed to evaluate the immediate effect of an 8-week recreational behavioral therapy program on anger reactions among undergraduate students at King Faisal University. Methods and materials. A quasi-experimental design was used to randomly allocate 40 students to experimental (n = 20; age = 20,55 ± 1,19) and control (n = 20; age = 20,77 ± 1,49; p = 0,78) groups. GPA (experimental: 3,45 ± 0,14; control: 3,43 ± 0,15; p = 0,80), and pre-test anger scores were found to be baseline equivalent (p = 0,79). The experimental group was provided with an 8-week program (two 40-minute sessions/week) that combines cognitive-behavioral skills such as cognitive restructuring, assertive communication, and time-out with cooperative sporting activities, expressive arts, and agility games. The control group did not receive any intervention. A validated scale of 20 items was used to measure anger and was based on PROMIS. Small sample size and non-normal data also necessitated the use of nonparametric tests. Results. The findings indicated that the experimental conditions were statistically significant in pre-post changes in all anger subscales (p < 0,001, r = 0,84–0,97) and were significantly lower than the control group at the post-test (p < 0,001, r = 0,92–0,97). No significant changes were observed in the control group (p > 0,05). Conclusion. Results indicate that recreational behavioral therapy created clinically significant decreases in anger expression in university students, as the experimental group had significantly lower anger scores compared to the controls at post-intervention. Its combination of evidence-based methods with participatory and culturally specific activities makes it a valuable approach for counseling centers at universities that aim to enhance students' emotional control and psychological well-being.
Author: H.K. Aldawsari
Institution: King Faisal University
Language: Russian
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: King Faisal University
OpenAlex ID: W7208707532