El deporte como herramienta pedagógica en educación superior: efectos sobre depresión, ansiedad, estrés y bienestar en universitarios. Una revisión sistemática

Abstract

This study aimed to synthesize scientific evidence regarding the effects of sport-, physical activity-, and exercise-based interventions with a pedagogical component on the mental health of university students. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The literature search was performed in Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus databases, identifying a total of 920 records. After duplicate removal and eligibility screening, 13 studies were included in the final analysis. The selected studies comprised randomized controlled trials and non-randomized intervention studies conducted in university settings and employing validated instruments to assess depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being. The findings showed that structured interventions integrating pedagogical elements, such as curricular courses, educational sessions, teacher guidance, feedback processes, and digital follow-up strategies, were associated with improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being outcomes. However, considerable methodological heterogeneity, risk of bias, and small sample sizes limited the strength of the evidence. The discussion highlights that the observed benefits appear to depend not only on physical activity participation but also on the educational intentionality and pedagogical design of the interventions. It is concluded that sport and physical activity can serve as valuable pedagogical tools to support mental health promotion in higher education. Nevertheless, further rigorous, controlled, and standardized studies with longitudinal follow-up are needed to strengthen the current evidence base.