Ascolta
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Via Giovanni Pascoli 6, Palermo, 90144, Italy.
e-Mail: olga.lopresti@unipa.it
Education
- Master’s Degree in Management of Physical Activity and Sport
Current Positions
PhD Student in Health Promotion and Cognitive Sciences
PhD project title and a short abstract
PhD project title
The Koshido Budo Method: New educational aspects in Martial Arts and the Development of Life Skills.
Abstract
Life skills are essential psychosocial abilities that enable individuals to effectively manage the demands and challenges of everyday life. According to the World Health Organization, these include decision-making, problem-solving, critical and creative thinking, emotional regulation, communication, relationship-building, and stress management. Developing such competencies during childhood and adolescence is fundamental for lifelong health, well-being, and social participation.
Kōshidō Budō (KB) is a Sicilian martial art conceived as an educational method grounded in the optimal use of movement. Literally meaning “the way of seeking balance,” KB aims to promote harmonious development of mind, body, and spirit, fostering self-awareness and the expression of individual potential. Beyond physical self-defense, KB represents a holistic discipline that integrates motor, cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions, and is currently applied in educational contexts, universities, and youth detention centers. The method has also received formal recognition by the Sicilian Regional Government as both a sporting discipline and an educational practice.
This PhD research project aims to investigate the relationship between postural control and the development of life skills in children and adolescents practicing Kōshidō Budō. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study will assess physical balance parameters using posturographic analysis and evaluate psychosocial variables such as body awareness, intrinsic motivation, and life skills through validated questionnaires. A comparative design will be employed between KB practitioners and a control group, as well as across different levels of martial arts experience.
The study hypothesizes significant correlations between physical balance and psychosocial competencies, supporting the concept of “integrated balance” as a combination of postural stability, self-regulation, motivation, and emotional awareness. The findings are expected to provide empirical evidence for the role of martial arts, and specifically the KB method, as an effective educational tool for promoting life skills, personal development, and social inclusion within school and youth programs.
Supervisor: Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia
Curriculum Vitae
Main research areas of interest
Life skills development in children and adolescents Martial arts as educational and psycho-pedagogical tools Kōshidō Budō methodology and movement-based education Psychomotor development and body awareness Postural control, balance, and motor coordination Emotional regulation and self-awareness through physical activity Intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy in sport and education Holistic approaches to health promotion and well-being Movement, cognition, and embodied learning Social inclusion and rehabilitation through martial arts
Researcher ID
