Effect of physical exercises and perceived stress interaction on students’ satisfaction with life

Purpose : to find out the effect of regular physical exercises and perceived stress interaction on students’ satisfaction with life. Material and methods : The study involved university students (n = 355; М age = 19,97; SD = 2,12). The moderator analysis was conducted according to the cross-sectional questionnaire. Results : It is determined that the difference in students' satisfaction with life at the average and high perceived stress is due to physical exercises. The influence of the interaction of variables (physical activity x perceived stress) on satisfaction with life was statistically significant. Conclusions : It is revealed the peculiarities of interaction between the physical exercises and perceived stress. The reduce of satisfaction with life under the influence of perceived stress is more typical for those students who do not regularly practice physical exercises. Physical exercises act as a buffer against stress.

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Vigorous physical activity, perceived stress, sleep and mental health among university students from 23 low- and middle-income countries

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health ◽

10.1515/ijamh-2017-0116 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Supa Pengpid ◽

Karl Peltzer

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Well Being ◽

Good Health ◽

Short Version ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractBackgroundVigorous physical activity (VPA) may be beneficial for mental health. The aim of the study was to investigate cross-sectional associations between VPA, perceived stress, sleep quality and quantity and mental health among university students.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, using anonymous questionnaires, data was collected from 15122 (42.1% male and 57.9% female) university students [mean age 20.6, standard deviation (SD) = 2.0] from 23 countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia. They were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version), and measures of sociodemographic, health status, health behaviour and anthropometrics.ResultsStudents who met VPA recommendations were less likely to report perceived stress, more likely to report subjective good health and depression than students without VPA. There was no association between VPA and sleep quality and quantity and PTSD symptoms.ConclusionThis study only found partial benefits of VPA in relation to well-being of university students.

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Independent and Combined Associations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Activity Intensities With Perceived Stress Among University Students: Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20119 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Shu Ling Tan ◽

Malte Jetzke ◽

Vera Vergeld ◽

Carsten Müller

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Perceived Stress Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stress Scale

BACKGROUND Mental health is an emerging topic on university campuses, with students reporting higher levels of psychological distress than the general population of the same age. Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time have been proved promising measures to promote mental health in the general population. However, to derive and implement effective measures to promote mental health among university students, further exploration of the associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress in this specific setting is needed. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress after controlling for sociodemographic and behavioral variables among university students in Germany. We hypothesize that perceived stress is inversely related to physical activity and positively associated with sedentary time. Furthermore, we hypothesize that combined associations of concurrently high physical activity and low sedentary time on perceived stress are stronger compared with either alone and that the association between physical activity and perceived stress depends on activity intensity. METHODS We conducted cross-sectional analyses from a large-scale internet-based student health survey (n=4189; response rate=10.0%). Physical activity, sedentary time, and engaging in moderate and vigorous activity intensities were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form with categorization into low, intermediate, and high levels. We measured perceived stress using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (range 0-40). RESULTS The results indicate that higher physical activity and lower sedentary time are associated with reduced levels of perceived stress. Following adjustment for gender, BMI, income, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, and sleep quality, perceived stress scores were lower for students reporting high physical activity levels and low sedentary time compared with the least active and highly sedentary students (Perceived Stress Scale –2.2, 95% CI –2.9 to –1.5, P<.001 for physical activity and –1.1, CI 95% –1.7 to –0.5, P<.001 for sedentary time). Combined associations with perceived stress revealed that students concurrently reporting high total physical activity and low sedentary time reported the lowest perceived stress scores of all possible combinations following adjustment for confounders (Perceived Stress Scale –3.5, CI 95% –4.6 to –2.5, P<.001 compared with students reporting low physical activity levels and concurrently high sedentary time). Associations between vigorous physical activities and perceived stress were not stronger compared with moderate activity intensities. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported physical activity and low sedentary time are favorably associated with perceived stress, while the intensity of physical activities seems to be of minor importance. These results help to effectively implement health-promoting measures on campus among university students through increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

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Associations Between Family Communication, Perceived Stress and Resilience with Life Satisfaction Among UPM Pre-University Students

10.53350/pjmhs211561756 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (6) ◽

pp. 1756-1764

Author(s):

Manoochehr Taghi Pour ◽

Asmah Ismail ◽

Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar ◽

Gholamreza Rajabi

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

University Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Family Communication ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Alfred W. Adler (1870-1937), psychotherapist and founder of the school of individual psychology, believed that education, marriage, and job play important role in human development. Higher learning is a demanding and challenging period for students that can result in high rates of psychological distress affecting their life satisfaction. Aim: The research is to study the links between family communications, perceived stress and resilience with life satisfaction among pre-university students in UPM. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 310 (females 158 and 152 males) pre-university students from a public university in Malaysia. Four instruments were used in this research namely the Family Communication Scale (FCS, Olson et al., 2004), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cohen et al., 1983) Resilience Scale (CD-RISC, Connor-Davidson, 2003) & The Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al. 1985). The data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regressions. Results: The finding of this study revealed that there are simple and multiple relationships between family communications, perceived stress and resilience with life satisfaction among pre-university students. Conclusion: The research may guide university counselors to view adolescents’ life satisfaction holistically and assist them in developing preventive and intervention plans for the university new enrolled students. Also, the results will provide students with some knowledge on their life satisfaction and its effects on their future accomplishments. Keyword: Family Communication; Perceived Stress; Resilience; Life Satisfaction; Pre-University Students

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Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Satisfaction With Life of University Students in Qatar: Changes During Confinement Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704562 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Souhail Hermassi ◽

Lawrence D. Hayes ◽

Ahmad Salman ◽

Nilihan E. M. Sanal-Hayes ◽

Emna Abassi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Sitting Time ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Metabolic Equivalent ◽

Metabolic Equivalent Of Task ◽

The Difference ◽

Time Changes

This study explored the effects of home confinement on physical activity (PA) and satisfaction with life (SL) among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 531 subjects participated [male: n=203; female: n=328; age: 33.1±5.2years; mass: 72.1±17.5kg; height: 1.67±0.12m; and body mass index (BMI): 25.7±5.06 kg/m2]. Online survey questions considered “before” and “during” confinement. Confinement reduced all PA intensities (ηp2=0.09–0.45, p<0.001) and increased daily sitting time (ηp2=0.58, p<0.001). The largest reduction was in moderate intensity PA [metabolic equivalent of task-minutes/week (MET), ηp2=0.45, p<0.001]. SQL decreased, with the score for “I am satisfied with my life” (ηp2=0.42, p<0.001) decreasing from 28.4±5.7 to 20.6±9.7 arbitrary units (AU). Concerning SL, the largest change was detected for “the conditions of my life are excellent” (ηp2=0.54, p<0.001). Time changes in all variables were demonstrative of large negative changes in both sexes. The difference in change between sexes was largest in terms of magnitude for the variable “the conditions of my life are excellent” (difference between groups, Δd=0.98). In sum, COVID-19 confinement reduced PA, heightened sitting time, and reduced SL in Qatar University students. This investigation could have a significant impact in developing PA guidelines for health maintainance during COVID-19 and successive pandemics in university students.

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How Healthy Are Health-Related Behaviors in University Students: The HOLISTic Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020675 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 675

Author(s):

Hellas Cena ◽

Debora Porri ◽

Rachele De Giuseppe ◽

Aliki Kalmpourtzidou ◽

Fiorella Pia Salvatore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Positive Association ◽

Female Gender ◽

Educational Background ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Related Behaviors ◽

Health Related

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the health-related behaviors among university students, with emphasis on health sciences students from Croatia, Italy, Lebanon, Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey. We included 6222 students in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Sports Sciences, Veterinary, and Economics enrolled between April 2018 and March 2020. We assessed dietary patterns, sleeping habits, physical activity and perceived stress among students by means of validated questionnaires. The median age ranged between 19 and 24 years, smoking prevalence between 12.0% and 35.4%, and body mass index (BMI) ranged between 21.1 and 23.2 kg/m2. Breakfast was less often and more often consumed daily in Turkey (36.7%), and Italy (75.7%), respectively. The highest Mediterranean diet score was recorded in Spain and Italy, and the lowest in Turkey, followed by students from Croatia, Lebanon, Poland and Romania. Sleep duration, physical activity and stress perception also differed between countries. Multivariable regression analysis revealed a small, but positive association between BMI and several characteristics, including age, female gender, smoking, physical activity, mobile phone use, and perceived stress. A negative association was found between BMI and sleep duration on non-working days. Self-rated health perception was positively associated with female gender, breakfast, physical activity, and time spent studying, and negatively with BMI, smoking and stress. Our results demonstrated diverse habits in students from different countries, some of which were less healthy than anticipated, given their educational background. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on improving the lifestyle of these adolescents and young adults, who will be tomorrow’s healthcare workers.

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Relationship among Perceived Stress, Life Satisfaction and Academic Performance of Education Sciences Students of the University of Jaén after the COVID 19 Pandemic

10.20944/preprints202110.0311.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

María Teresa Ocaña-Moral ◽

Óscar Gavín-Chocano ◽

Eufrasio Pérez-Navío ◽

María del Carmen Martínez-Serrano

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Stress Management ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The University

The circumstances arising from the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all socioeconomic areas in the last two years. The field of Education has not been an exception and the management of the situation seems to have caused an increase in the level of perceived stress of university students. On this basis, this research that aims, first, to analyze the student’s level of perceived stress during the de-escalation and return to normality period, secondly, to evaluate its relationship with life satisfaction and, finally, to detect the students' needs in stress management, has been developed. An exploratory-descriptive study of quantitative and cross-sectional nature has been carried out. 222 university students of the Childhood and Primary Education Degrees of the University of Jaén (Spain) have participated. The instruments, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) have been used. The results show a moderate and partial relationship among the dimensions of the used instruments. The obtained coefficients of determination are, Academic Performance (r² = .019) and Life Satisfaction (r² = .402), with a mean square error (SRMR) of .079. These findings show the need to develop actions within the university training program in effective stress management strategies.

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Relationship among Perceived Stress, Life Satisfaction and Academic Performance of Education Sciences Students of the University of Jaén after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci11120802 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 802

Author(s):

María Teresa Ocaña-Moral ◽

Óscar Gavín-Chocano ◽

Eufrasio Pérez-Navío ◽

María del Carmen Martínez-Serrano

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Stress Management ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The University

The circumstances arising from the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all socioeconomic areas in the last two years. The field of Education has not been an exception, and the management of the situation seems to have caused an increase in the level of perceived stress of university students. On this basis, this research that aims, first, to analyze the student’s level of perceived stress during the de-escalation and return to normality period, secondly, to evaluate its relationship with life satisfaction and, finally, to detect the students’ needs in stress management, has been developed. An exploratory-descriptive study of quantitative and cross-sectional nature has been carried out. A total of 222 university students of the Childhood and Primary Education Degrees of the University of Jaén (Spain) have participated. The instruments, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) have been used. The results show a moderate and partial relationship among the dimensions of the used instruments. The obtained coefficients of determination are, Academic Performance (r² = 0.019) and Life Satisfaction (r² = 0.402), with a mean square error (SRMR) of 0.079. These findings show the need to develop actions within the university training program in effective stress management strategies.

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Independent and Combined Associations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Activity Intensities With Perceived Stress Among University Students: Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study

JMIR Public Health and Surveillance ◽

10.2196/20119 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. e20119

Author(s):

Shu Ling Tan ◽

Malte Jetzke ◽

Vera Vergeld ◽

Carsten Müller

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Perceived Stress Scale ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stress Scale

Background Mental health is an emerging topic on university campuses, with students reporting higher levels of psychological distress than the general population of the same age. Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time have been proved promising measures to promote mental health in the general population. However, to derive and implement effective measures to promote mental health among university students, further exploration of the associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress in this specific setting is needed. Objective This study aims to identify associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and perceived stress after controlling for sociodemographic and behavioral variables among university students in Germany. We hypothesize that perceived stress is inversely related to physical activity and positively associated with sedentary time. Furthermore, we hypothesize that combined associations of concurrently high physical activity and low sedentary time on perceived stress are stronger compared with either alone and that the association between physical activity and perceived stress depends on activity intensity. Methods We conducted cross-sectional analyses from a large-scale internet-based student health survey (n=4189; response rate=10.0%). Physical activity, sedentary time, and engaging in moderate and vigorous activity intensities were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form with categorization into low, intermediate, and high levels. We measured perceived stress using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (range 0-40). Results The results indicate that higher physical activity and lower sedentary time are associated with reduced levels of perceived stress. Following adjustment for gender, BMI, income, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, and sleep quality, perceived stress scores were lower for students reporting high physical activity levels and low sedentary time compared with the least active and highly sedentary students (Perceived Stress Scale –2.2, 95% CI –2.9 to –1.5, P<.001 for physical activity and –1.1, CI 95% –1.7 to –0.5, P<.001 for sedentary time). Combined associations with perceived stress revealed that students concurrently reporting high total physical activity and low sedentary time reported the lowest perceived stress scores of all possible combinations following adjustment for confounders (Perceived Stress Scale –3.5, CI 95% –4.6 to –2.5, P<.001 compared with students reporting low physical activity levels and concurrently high sedentary time). Associations between vigorous physical activities and perceived stress were not stronger compared with moderate activity intensities. Conclusions Self-reported physical activity and low sedentary time are favorably associated with perceived stress, while the intensity of physical activities seems to be of minor importance. These results help to effectively implement health-promoting measures on campus among university students through increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time.

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Stress Perceived by University Health Sciences Students, 1 Year after COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105233 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5233

Author(s):

Yolanda Marcén-Román ◽

Angel Gasch-Gallen ◽

Irene Isabel Vela Martín de la Mota ◽

Estela Calatayud ◽

Isabel Gómez-Soria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nursing Students ◽

University Students ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Health Sciences ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Occupational Therapy Students ◽

Health Sciences Students ◽

The Impact

Today’s COVID-19 situation can affect university Health Sciences students’ psychological health. This study aimed to analyze the stress caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Health Sciences students from the University of Zaragoza (Spain) almost 1 year after the pandemic began. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 252 university students who completed a self-administered online questionnaire. It evaluated the impact of perceived stress with a modified scale (PSS-10-C), and assessed anxiety and depression on the Goldberg scale. Students presented stress (13.1%), anxiety (71.4%) and depression (81%). Females (81.7%) and the third-year Occupational Therapy students (p = 0.010) reported perceived stress. Nursing students perceived less stress (OR: 0.148; 95% CI: 0.026 to 0.842). University students developed stress and anxiety due to COVID-19 almost 1 year after the pandemic began. Psychological support measures for these groups should be prioritized.

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Prevalence of Hypertension and Its Associated Factors among Indonesian Adolescents

International Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1155/2020/4262034 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Andra Kurnianto ◽

Deni Kurniadi Sunjaya ◽

Fedri Ruluwedrata Rinawan ◽

Dany Hilmanto

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Family History ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Equation Model ◽

Behavior Changes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

History Of ◽

Family History Of Hypertension

Background. Given that hypertension in adulthood has its onset in childhood, it is not surprising that the prevalence of hypertension among adolescents has also increased in recent years. However, there are limited data on the prevalence of hypertension and also the new AAP guideline has not yet been applied to the Indonesian adolescent population. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hypertension using the new AAP guideline and to assess the occurrence of its associated factors among Indonesian adolescents. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at twelve senior high schools in Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia, from June to December 2019. The study included adolescents aged 13 to 18 years old. Anthropometric measurements were obtained. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors most associated with hypertension among adolescents, and then an equation model was created. The prevalence of hypertension was evaluated, together with several factors such as age group, sex, ethnicity, family history of hypertension, nutritional status, physical activity, perceived stress, sleep duration, nutritional intake, and smoking. Results. In total, 1200 adolescents aged 15.9 ± 0.99 years were evaluated. The prevalence of hypertension and elevated blood pressure among adolescents was 8% and 12.2%, respectively. There were significant associations between sex, family history of hypertension, hypertensive father, nutritional status, physical activity, perceived stress, and hypertension among Indonesian adolescents (p<0.05). Stress was the most powerful risk factor of hypertension with an odds ratio of 5.83 (95% confidence interval 2.91–11.6). Conclusions. Nowadays, the prevalence of hypertension among Indonesian adolescents is quite high. This may be caused by lifestyle or behavior changes among adolescents. Sex, family history of hypertension, nutritional status, physical activity, and perceived stress influenced the 27% hypertension prevalence rate among Indonesian adolescents, particularly in Palembang, South Sumatera. In order to decrease the prevalence of hypertension in adults, concern about lifestyle or behavior changes and hypertension among adolescents should be given.

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