Relationship Between Physical Activity, Cognition, and Emotional and Social Well-Being in Gifted Students: A Systematic Review.

Physical activity (PA) has been associated with improvements in cognitive function and psychological well-being in the school population; however, its specific impact on gifted students has been scarcely investigated. This systematic review analyzes the effects of PA, as well as the associations between PA and cognitive performance, emotional well-being, and social integration in students with high abilities (HA), also considering moderating variables such as sex and type of intervention. A total of four studies published between 2004 and 2025 were identified through searches in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, including cross-sectional and quasi-experimental designs with more than 700 participants aged 8 to 13 years. The findings suggest that PA may be associated with improvements in memory, attention, and creativity, as well as lower levels of anxiety and stress. Benefits were also observed in body perception and social integration, although these effects appear to be influenced by factors such as gender and academic demands. Overall, the evidence suggests that PA may represent a potentially valuable educational resource for the comprehensive development of these students; however, further longitudinal and experimental studies are needed to establish more robust and context-sensitive intervention protocols.