The Restorative of Pocket Parks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Exercise Interventions on Adolescents’ Physical and Mental Health

This RCT examined pocket park exercise interventions for 150 Chinese adolescents (80 males, 70 females; Mage = 15.4 years) in Gansu Province, China. Participants were randomly assigned to team sports, individual exercise, or control groups using computer-generated randomization. Psychological outcomes (anxiety [GAD-7], perceived restorativeness [PRS-16], physical literacy [PPLA-Q]) and physiological indicators (heart rate, BMI) were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results showed team sports significantly improved physical literacy (p < .001) compared to both individual exercise and control groups, and reduced anxiety more than individual exercise. Both interventions enhanced perceived restorativeness and reduced heart rate, while BMI increases suggested body composition improvements. The control group showed no significant changes on any measure. Findings support pocket parks as effective venues for adolescent health interventions, particularly for team-based activities which leveraged social interaction and collective motivation. Future studies should investigate long-term outcomes and evidence-based design principles to maximize health benefits.