Pawel Adam Piepiora ^1* Zbigniew Norbert Piepiora ² Daniela Stackeová ³ Justyna Bagińska ⁴ Bartłomiej Gąsienica-Walczak ⁵ Petra Čaplová ⁶

• ¹ Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
• ² Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Silesian, Poland
• ³ College of Physical Education and Sport Palestra, Prague, Prague, Czechia
• ⁴ Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences, Jelenia Góra, Poland
• ⁵ Academy of Applied Sciences in Nowy Targ, Nowy Targ, Poland
• ⁶ Technical University of Liberec, Liberec, Liberec, Czechia

Physical culture encompasses all activities aimed at maintaining health through physical activity. This can be implemented in five distinct areas: physical education, physiotherapy, recreation, sports and tourism. Such physical activity is indicative of physical fitness, which is a contributing factor to overall health. Prior research in the field of physical culture has concentrated on the topic of bodily health. The positive bodily effects of physical culture, including the development of motor potential, the correction of postural defects, the maintenance of normal body weight, the control of neuromuscular tension, and active recreation, have been repeatedly emphasised in previous research. To a lesser extent, research in the physical culture sciences has addressed the significant psychosomatic effects of physical activity, such as stress relief, self-discipline, and redirecting negative habits towards competitive sport training, the positive impact of sport on personality formation, and more.However, there is a notable research gap regarding the role of physical activity in supporting mental health. This prompted the development of the research topic 'physical culture for mental health'. The acknowledgement of the role of psychiatric, psychological and psychotherapeutic interventions in the maintenance of mental health is a well-established concept in the field of psychiatry and psychology. Nevertheless, the importance of promoting, maintaining and restoring mental well-being through physical culture is often overlooked. The role of physical culture in supporting psychiatric, psychological and psychotherapeutic interactions is of significant importance. It serves to prevent and treat disorders while maintaining mental health. Furthermore, the field of physical culture sciences is situated within the domain of medical and health sciences.The objective of this research topic is to present contemporary research exploring the impact of physical activity, encompassing physical education, physiotherapy, recreation, sports, and tourism, on mental health. The objective of this initiative is to disseminate research in the field of physical culture sciences, with a particular focus on mental health, which is of paramount importance in the context of the ongoing challenges that test our mental resilience. Regular physical activity is widely recognized as vital for maintaining mental health. This research topic aims to provide evidence to support this assumption.An interdisciplinary approach has been taken in order to disseminate research findings on the complex relationship between physical culture and mental health. It is encouraging to note the international contributions of the authors, who will contribute to the holistic wellbeing of individuals in our society through the dissemination of their research achievements. The authors who contributed to this research topic reached insightful conclusions, which contributed to the expansion of knowledge regarding the efficacy of physical culture for mental health.In the initial paper, Lin C. et al. (2024) conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy of chronic exercise as an intervention for executive function in children. The findings indicated that chronic exercise interventions consistently demonstrated a positive impact on executive functions, regardless of the duration of the intervention, the frequency of the sessions, or the length of each session.Then, Huo et al. (2024) conducted a systematic review and synthesis of the literature on the relationship between sports participation and adolescent suicide-related outcomes. The findings indicated that increased participation in sports was associated with a reduction in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents. Subsequently, Liu R. et al. (2024) examined the impact of physical activity on health behaviours, mental health and psychological resilience, with a particular focus on the moderating role of quality of life. It has been observed that the quality of life exerts a moderating influence on the relationships between physical exercise and a number of factors, including psychological resilience, mental health and health-related behaviour.In a further work, Leung et al. (2024) conducted a pilot study with the objective of improving metabolic syndrome (MetS) screening, identification and intervention. This was achieved by offering streamlined lifestyle education, clinical reviews and discharge planning.The results demonstrated the urgent need for physical consumer-centred care and cultural change to promote collaboration within psychiatric services.In a separate study, Lin L. et al. (2024) corroborated the correlations between compliance with 24-hour exercise directives and mental wellbeing and quality of life among young adults, and delineated the mediating or moderating function of e-health utilisation in these correlations. The findings indicated that adherence to a greater number of the guidelines was associated with enhanced mental health and quality of life among Chinese young adults.Conversely, meeting different combinations of the guidelines resulted in varying health outcomes.In a subsequent study, Guo et al. (2024) verified the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being among students and investigated the mediating role of social support and self-efficacy between physical activity and subjective well-being. It was determined that, in addition to encouraging physical activity, it is essential to prioritize the enhancement of social support and self-efficacy when promoting college students' subjective well-being.In another study, Sheng et al. ( 2024) investigated the cross-sectional association between sports participation and resilience in children and adolescents as a means of enhancing mental health. The results of the cross-sectional study indicated a positive correlation between sports participation and resilience in children and adolescents, thereby highlighting the potential of encouraging sports participation as a strategy for promoting mental health resilience.After that, Wrześniewski et al. (2024) sought to determine the optimal frequency, duration, and position of vibration treatments in relation to the reduction of subjectively perceived exertion, muscle pain, mental discomfort, emotional states, and the level of cognitive processes disturbed by intense physical activity. From a psychological perspective, the findings indicated that 10-minute treatments at lower frequencies (in the range of 2-52 Hz) were more effective.In the following paper, Kruszewski et al. (2024) investigated the evolution of hand-tohand exercises in Western culture, contrasting the traditional and modern forms. It has been demonstrated that only through the implementation of comprehensive education, coupled with a multifaceted programme of social role modelling and social facilitation, can a robust counterbalance to the growing prevalence of pathology in our lives be achieved. This, in turn, can lead to the promotion of positive social behaviours and the prevention of aggression and threats to physical and mental health. A subsequent study by Piepiora and Gwardyński (2024) presents a novel argument in favour of the efficacy of karate as a tool for youth safety education. It has been demonstrated that karate is an efficacious method for educating young people in matters of safety. However, for this approach to be effective, it must be implemented in its entirety. The combat sport perspective engages young people in physical culture, the martial art perspective educates according to established norms and rules, and the self-defence system perspective teaches how to respond effectively in challenging situations. Also, Liu C. et al. (2024) conducted a narrative review of the specific theoretical and practical experiences of parents in sport parenting. This was based on an analysis of the types and functions that constitute parental involvement in sport parenting, as well as an examination of the processes involved in their practice. It is assumed that parents, when participating in sports parenting, must regulate their own behaviour in order to avoid placing psychological pressure on their children due to inappropriate behaviour; assume different roles at different stages of their children's sports development; and avoid placing excessive pressure on their children's performance.In the subsequent paper, Piepiora et al. ( 2024) highlighted the declining interest in physical activity from the perspective of inadequate communication of physical culture to contemporary generations. The cohort designated as 'Baby Boomers' (BB) is followed by the 'Great Unknowns' (X), the 'Millennials' (Y), and the 'Snowflakes' (Z). The final group is the 'Alpha' generation, which is defined by its digital orientation. It was concluded that the activation of these social groups should be conducted by addressing topics that are of importance to them.Then, Kang and Gong (2024) investigated their mediating role in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and athlete burnout. The relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and athlete burnout can be partially explained by the mediating role of individuals' fear of failure and self-handicapping behaviours. Moreover, Liu L. et al. (2024) examined the relationship between yoga exercise intervention and the comprehensive well-being of college students, as well as the underlying mechanisms through which yoga exercise intervention may enhance the comprehensive wellbeing of female college students. The findings indicated that yoga exercise intervention was associated with improved comprehensive well-being in female college students, suggesting that it may serve as an effective counselling method for promoting mental health in this population.Subsequently, Piepiora, Čaplová, Zimoń and colleagues (2024) investigated the correlation between personality traits and the competitive level of athletes. It was determined that the observed discrepancies between the examined athlete groups could be attributed to the distinctive characteristics of the respective sports. The elite cohort exhibited a reduced intensity of neuroticism in comparison to the competitive athletes.In the next paper, Sui et al. ( 2024) investigated the impact of physical exercise on the perception of social fairness among college students, with a particular emphasis on the potential mediating role of perceived social support and life satisfaction. The researchers concluded that physical exercise has a positive effect on both perceived social support and the sense of social fairness. Furthermore, the impact of physical exercise on the perception of social fairness is both direct and indirect.After that, Piepiora, Čaplová, and Cynarski (2024) proposed that the incorporation of karate into the domain of physical culture represents a contemporary and appealing physical activity. It was concluded that karate is present in all areas of physical culture, including as a combat sport, martial art, and self-defence system. However, practising karate only as a martial art provides opportunities for the maintenance of health.Other authors: Li et al. (2024) conducted a narrative review to investigate the potential of physical activity as an intervention for adolescent psychological stress management and mental health promotion. The review identified effective implementation strategies and multisector collaboration as crucial for optimising the benefits of physical activity interventions.In a subsequent study, Jalowska et al. (2024) investigated the relationship between coping with stressful situations, the level of aerobic capacity, and post-workout restitution.Additionally, they examined the changes that occur between these variables throughout the training camp preceding international men's championship competitions in classical-style wrestling in the age category cadet. Significant correlations were identified between the style of coping with stress and scores in the performance test and the number of heart contractions in athletes preparing for the European Cadet Men's Wrestling Championships.Next, Ambroży et al. (2024) sought to investigate how disparate demographic groups conceptualise success in martial arts. The study indicated that there was a weak correlation between the type of martial art practised and the perception of success. A weak correlation was observed between nationality and the perception of success. A strong correlation was identified between age and perceived success, and a significant correlation was also observed between sex and perceived success.In the subsequent paper, Wang Y. et al. (2024) Sheng X, Liang K, Li K, Chi X and Fan H (2024) Association between sports participation and resilience in school-attending students: a cross-sectional study. Front. Psychol. 15:1365310. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1365310 Sui X, Zhao B, Na D, Liu J andZhang Q (2024) The relationship between physical exercise and sense of social fairness among college students: the chain-mediated role of perceived social support and life satisfaction. Front. Psychol. 15:1430492. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1430492