Effects of martial arts exercise on children's prosocial and aggressive behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The intervention effects of martial arts on children's prosocial behaviors have long been debated. On one hand, they are considered an ideal means of enhancing prosocial behaviors, while on the other hand, they are also believed to potentially increase children's aggression. The purpose of this study is to synthesize the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding martial arts interventions on children's prosocial and aggressive behaviors, in order to determine the relationship between martial arts and these behaviors. This review follows the PRISMA guidelines and comprehensively searched relevant literature from its self-constructed database up until March 2025, covering core databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovid Medline, CNKI, and Wanfang, with a total of 16 randomized controlled trials included. The study found that martial arts interventions significantly enhanced children's prosocial behaviors and reduced their aggressive behaviors. Subgroup analysis revealed that an intervention period of 12 <= 16 weeks, with weekly sessions lasting 46 <= 59 min, showed a significant positive effect on enhancing children's prosocial behaviors. Additionally, an intervention period of 12 <= 16 weeks, with at least three weekly sessions and session durations <= 45 min, significantly reduced children's aggression. The findings further confirm the benefits of martial arts in enhancing children's prosocial behaviors and provide new insights for the design of future martial arts intervention programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)