The effect of swimming training on personality traits in non-athlete female students

Personality is one of the most fundamental concepts in psychology, which is affected by experience. It is ideal for students to have an adequate personality in any country. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the effect of a swimming training program on personality traits in female students. The method of study was quasi-experimental in which a pretest and post test design was used. The participants of the study consisted of 60 non-athlete female students who were studying in Tehran science and industry university in the academic year 2010-2011. The participants were selected randomly using a personal information questionnaire and subsequently assigned into a control and an experimental group. Bernreuter's personal inventory was used to collect the data. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data (α<0.05). The results of the study showed that a swimming training program significantly affects all 6 personality traits. The training program improved such qualities as self-confidence, extroversion, and sociability but decreased neurotic tendency, dominancy and self-sufficiency in the experimental group. Student life is associated with various and complicated stresses. It seems that participating in enjoyable swimming training will help the students acquire psychological abilities to resist the stresses. Therefore, it is recommended that swimming training be used as an effective procedure in promoting student's psychological health and personality traits.