Do team sports have positive effects on anxiety levels and mood disorders? A systematic review protocol

Abstract

Background

Mental disorders, particularly anxiety and mood disorders, significantly impair individuals’ ability to perform daily activities, potentially leading to sedentary behavior and increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Physical activity plays a crucial role in supporting mental health, and team sports represent a promising intervention strategy. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the impact of team sports practice on anxiety and mood disorders. Furthermore, it will analyze how different modalities of team sports contribute to mental health improvements and identify gaps in the current literature to guide future research directions. Methods

This systematic review will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines and is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251121611). A comprehensive search will be carried out across four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus) with no restrictions on language or publication date. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts using predefined eligibility criteria and extract data with standardized tables. A third independent reviewer will resolve any disagreements. Extracted data will include publication title, authors, year, assessment tools for anxiety and mood disorders, type of intervention, and primary outcomes related to the effects of team sports on these disorders. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2.0). Data will be synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis (DerSimonian-Laird) when at least two sufficiently homogeneous studies report the same outcome. Continuous outcomes will be pooled as mean differences (same scale) or standardized mean differences (different instruments). Statistical heterogeneity will be assessed using Cochran’s Q and the I2 statistic. If heterogeneity is high (I2 > 75%) or if pooling is not feasible, findings will be summarized narratively, with planned subgroup and sensitivity analyses. The certainty of evidence will be assessed using GRADE. Discussion

This systematic review is expected to provide comprehensive evidence on the potential effects of team sports participation on anxiety and mood disorders. By synthesizing findings from randomized controlled trial, the review aims to clarify the extent to which engaging in team sports may contribute to mental health promotion and symptom reduction. The results may inform clinical practice, guide the design of community-based interventions, and support policymakers in developing evidence-based strategies that use team sports as a non-pharmacological approach to improve psychological well-being.