Effect of Judo Training on Life Expectancy, Motivation, and Mental Health of Blind and Visually Impaired Veterans in Tehran

Aims: The present study aimed to explore the effect of eight weeks of judo training on the life expectancy, motivation, and mental health of blind and visually impaired veterans of the eight-year Holy Defense War in Tehran. Materials Methods: This experimental research was done on 100 blind and visually impaired non-athlete males in Tehran Province, Iran. Forty individuals were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental (20 participants) and control (20 participants) groups. The Miller Hope Scale (MHS), the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Willis’s Sport Attitude Inspection Questionnaire (SAI) were used as research tools. A paired t-test was employed to compare the mean scores within each group (pre-test and post-test), and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the differences between the two separate groups using SPSS 26. Findings: There was a significant difference in life expectancy and mental health, excluding the two components of social functioning symptoms and depression symptoms, as well as in the competitive motivation of blind and visually impaired veterans in Tehran Province before and after eight weeks. Conclusion: Eight weeks of judo training positively affects life expectancy, mental health, and competitive motivation of blind and visually impaired veterans.