{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T16:59:33Z","timestamp":1789664373943,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783555200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Natural disasters-earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, wildfires, and storms-inflict profound and often enduring psychological trauma on affected populations. Survivors exhibit elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, peritraumatic dissociation, social dysfunction, and somatic complaints. Despite this burden, mental health services in disaster-affected regions remain under-resourced, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This narrative review provides a conceptual synthesis of findings from 11 studies that examined the role of sport-related activities in mental health recovery following natural disasters. Recognizing the heterogeneity of the literature, this review proposes a conceptual distinction between \u201cparticipatory\u201d (e.g., exercise, structured sport) and \u201cspectator-based\u201d (e.g., team identification, media narratives) sport activities, collectively referred to as \u201csport-related activities.\u201d Through thematic synthesis of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods evidence, the review identifies four interconnected dimensions of post-disaster psychological distress: (a) trauma-specific disorders (PTSD and peritraumatic reactions); (b) affective disorders (depression and generalized anxiety); (c) social dysfunction (isolation, loss of community cohesion); and (d) somatic symptoms (sleep disturbances, pain, fatigue). The review further delineates three proposed mechanisms through which sport-related activities may facilitate recovery: (a) physiological regulation-modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, reduction of cortisol reactivity, and enhancement of neuroplasticity; (b) psychological empowerment-restoration of self-efficacy, meaning-making through narrative reconstruction, and cognitive reframing of traumatic memories; and (c) social reconnection-rebuilding peer support networks, fostering collective identity, and strengthening community resilience. The review concludes that sport-related activities represent a promising, low-cost adjunctive strategy for post-disaster mental health recovery. However, given the methodological heterogeneity and observational nature of the included evidence, these findings cannot establish causal effects. The review serves as a foundational step for future, more rigorous systematic and scoping reviews to build upon.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1894225","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T04:19:17Z","timestamp":1783570757000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Sport-related activities as a psychosocial strategy for mental health recovery following natural disasters: a narrative review"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Jiajin","family":"Zhou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Physical Education and Health, Yulin Normal University","place":["Yulin, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinhu","family":"Wei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Physical Education and Health Science, Guangxi Science and Technology Normal University","place":["Laibin, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1608297","DOI":"10.3389\/phrs.2025.1608297","article-title":"Devastating \u201cDANA\u201d floods in Valencia: insights on resilience, challenges, and strategies to address future disasters","volume":"46","author":"Martin-Moreno","year":"2025","journal-title":"Public Health Rev."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1357","DOI":"10.1037\/trm0000496","article-title":"The structure of psychological distress in the aftermath of the 2023 Turkey\/Syria earthquakes","volume":"17","author":"Hyland","year":"2025","journal-title":"Psychol Trauma Theory Res Pract Policy."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113827","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2021.113827","article-title":"Increased frequency of participation in civic associations and reduced depressive symptoms: Prospective study of older Japanese survivors of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake","volume":"276","author":"Zhang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"188","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-016-0891-9","article-title":"The incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder among survivors after earthquakes: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"16","author":"Dai","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e37031","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.37031","article-title":"Mental health disorders due to disaster exposure: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"15","author":"Keya","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cureus."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"867","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-03108-x","article-title":"Examination of trauma levels and earthquake stress coping strategies of university students who exercise and do not exercise after an earthquake","volume":"13","author":"\u00c7akir","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Psychol."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e000824","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2012-000824","article-title":"A before and after study on personality assessment in adolescents exposed to the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy: influence of sports practice","volume":"2","author":"Valenti","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMJ Open."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1147","DOI":"10.1080\/17430430903137803","article-title":"Sport as a post-disaster psychosocial intervention in Bam, Iran","volume":"12","author":"Kunz","year":"2009","journal-title":"Sport Soc."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1186\/s13104-025-07094-6","article-title":"Climate catastrophe in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: impact of strategic actions in response to flooding","volume":"18","author":"Rosa","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Res Notes."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1327","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_112_18","article-title":"Community-based rehabilitation for physically impaired earthquake victims: an evidence-based practice protocol and its pre\u2013post experimental study","volume":"7","author":"Adhikari","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e013706","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-013706","article-title":"Reducing depressive symptoms after the Great East Japan Earthquake in older survivors through group exercise participation and regular walking: a prospective observational study","volume":"7","author":"Tsuji","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMJ Open."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1037\/gdn0000019","article-title":"Team identification and postdisaster social well-being: the mediating role of social support","volume":"19","author":"Inoue","year":"2015","journal-title":"Group Dyn Theory Res Pract."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"40645","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-026-40645-w","article-title":"Investigation of the relationship between physical activity levels and mental health in adolescents after February 6th earthquakes","volume":"16","author":"\u00d6zdemir","year":"2026","journal-title":"Sci Rep."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1177\/1012690213485951","article-title":"Natural disaster arrhythmia and action sports: the case of the Christchurch earthquake","volume":"50","author":"Thorpe","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int Rev Sociol Sport."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"776","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pubrev.2018.09.001","article-title":"Understanding a non-causality crisis response: examining the Florida panthers response to hurricane Irma","volume":"44","author":"Fortunato","year":"2018","journal-title":"Public Relat Rev."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1080\/15295030903551009","article-title":"When the sportswriters go marching in: Sports journalism, collective trauma, and memory metaphors","volume":"27","author":"Serazio","year":"2010","journal-title":"Crit Stud Media Commun."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"811","DOI":"10.1177\/2167479519894672","article-title":"Coping with tragedy via reflected glory: how the Houston Astros' world series win contributed to locals' process of overcoming Hurricane Harvey","volume":"9","author":"Erlichman","year":"2019","journal-title":"Commun Sport."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104374","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.104667","article-title":"Various health-related challenges amidst recent floods in Pakistan; strategies for future prevention and control","volume":"82","author":"Ochani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann Med Surg."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x","article-title":"A typology of reviews: an analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies","volume":"26","author":"Grant","year":"2009","journal-title":"Health Inf Libr J."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"248","DOI":"10.1037\/abn0000663","article-title":"The structure of peritraumatic reactions and their relationship with PTSD among disaster survivors","volume":"130","author":"Massazza","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Abnorm Psychol."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2020.08.016","article-title":"Persistent mental health impacts of disaster. five-year follow-up after the 2011 great east Japan earthquake and tsunami: Iwanuma Study","author":"Kino","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Psychiatric Res"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1080\/09515070.2018.1542593","article-title":"Social justice disaster relief, counseling, and advocacy: the case of the Northern California wildfires","volume":"33","author":"Dom\u00ednguez","year":"2020","journal-title":"Couns Psychol Q."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.15561\/20755279.2018.0405","article-title":"Religiosity and female participation in sport: exploring the perceptions of Turkish university students","volume":"22","author":"Turkmen","year":"2018","journal-title":"Phys Educ Stud."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctim.2014.01.008","article-title":"Effects of yoga practice on stress-related symptoms in the aftermath of an earthquake: a community-based controlled trial","volume":"22","author":"Thordardottir","year":"2014","journal-title":"Complement Ther Med."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1483077","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1483077","article-title":"A narrative review of exercise intervention mechanisms for post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans","volume":"12","author":"Zhao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-8-45","article-title":"Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews","volume":"8","author":"Thomas","year":"2008","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1894225\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T04:19:18Z","timestamp":1783570758000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1894225\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"references-count":26,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1894225"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1894225","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"article-number":"1894225"}}