Taekwondo as a humanitarian tool: a systematic review on values, socio-emotional development, education, and physical capacities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v78.119020Keywords:
sport for development, sport inclusion, vulnerable populations, humanitarian taekwondoAbstract
Introduction: In recent years, sport has been recognized as a tool for social transformation, the promotion of values, and the construction of peaceful environments. In this context, taekwondo has shown potential as a formative discipline that contributes to physical, socio-emotional, and educational development. However, there is still limited systematized evidence that analyzes these contributions in an integrated manner.
Objective: To analyze how the scientific literature has addressed the practice of taekwondo in the promotion of values, socio-emotional development, educational processes, and the strengthening of physical capacities, as well as to examine its contribution to the conceptualization of Humanitarian Taekwondo as a socio-educational model.
Method: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search was carried out in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SciELO, and Google Scholar, considering publications between 2016 and 2025. After the selection process and methodological quality assessment using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), 19 studies were included for analysis.
Results: The findings show that taekwondo practice promotes the development of values such as discipline and respect, as well as improvements in emotional regulation, sociability, and self-esteem. Contributions to educational processes were also identified, particularly in attention, academic self-efficacy, and cognitive development. At the physical level, improvements were reported in coordinative capacities such as balance, agility, and postural control.
Conclusions: The evidence supports taekwondo as an integral means for human development, promoting values, socio-emotional well-being, learning, and physical development. These findings support the conceptualization of Humanitarian Taekwondo as an educational and social model.
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