Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the effects of 12 week physical activity program on emotional intelligence and mental health of visually impaired children in India. The subjects included 47 male and 30 female visually impaired children aged 15 to 18 years. Subjects of experimental group had participated in a specifically designed 12 week physical activity program. Sevenfold Emotional Intelligence Scale and Mental Health Battery were administered to the subjects to obtain pre and post test data. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA (2x2), and one way ANOVA were utilized to analyze the data. The results have revealed that experimental group had a significantly higher level of emotional intelligence and significantly better mental health as compared to the control group. The findings of the present study suggest that developmentally appropriate physical activities can be effectively utilized to help visually impaired children in attaining emotional competence and mental well being.