Examining the relationship between physical activity psychological well-being and stress in a college population

EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, AND STRESS IN A COLLEGE POPULATION By Hannah Kruse Wike Bart L Weathington UC Foundation Professor (Chair) Michael D Biderman (Committee Member) Christopher J.L Cunningham (Committee Member) EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, AND STRESS IN A COLLEGE POPULATION By Hannah Kruse Wike A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Master of Science: Psychology The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN May 2015 ii ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being as moderated by physical activity in college-age participants Previous research suggests physical activity relates to lower stress levels (Nguyen‐Michel, Unger, Hamilton, & Spruijt‐Metz, 2006) Additionally, research has found physical activity is connected with overall well-being and lower levels of mental health issues The results from an online survey collection (n=291) suggest that physical activity, at least as operationalized in the study, does not moderate the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being However, perceived stress did have a significant relationship with psychological well-being Also, the interest and enjoyment motive for physical activity was a significant predictor of physical activity participation Lastly, students who scored higher in positive affect were more likely to participate in physical activity iii DEDICATION This body of research is dedicated to both my mother and father Each, in their unique way, instilled a desire to seek knowledge in all aspects of life To my mom, who has inspired me by the utter passion she holds for everyday life She truly lives presently and vibrantly Through her, I have learned I need to care for myself physically, mentally, and emotionally To my dad, whose work ethic is second to none He will forever be a teacher for the many who cross and have crossed his path Through him, I have learned that hard work always proves fruitful in the end iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my thesis committee – Dr Bart Weathington, Dr Chris Cunningham, and Dr Michael Biderman for an ample amount of support and expertise throughout the duration of this project Dr Cunningham provided helpful and insightful feedback Dr Biderman provided great statistical support And, my thesis chair, Dr Bart Weathington, who was always on board with my ideas Thank you, for your dedication and support towards this project and my I-O professional development v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iii DEDICATION iv ACKNOWLEDGMENT v LIST OF TABLES viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION II LITERATURE REVIEW III Understanding Stress Stress in a College Setting Physical Manifestations of Stress Coping Mechanisms Physical Activity Levels in College Students Physical Activity as a Coping Mechanism Psychological Well-Being Hypothesis and Research Questions 10 12 13 14 METHOD 16 Participants Materials and Procedures Survey Data Collection Measures Perceived Stress Core Self Evaluation Psychological Well-Being Physical Activity Positive and Negative Affect General Achievement Motivation Motives for Physical Activity Personality 16 17 17 17 17 17 18 18 19 19 19 20 vi IV V RESULTS 21 Analyses Hypothesis Test Hypothesis 1: Physical Activity as moderator between perceived stress and psychological well-being Research Question Tests Research Question 1: Relationship between Positive Affect and Physical Activity Research Question 2: Relationship between Conscientiousness and Physical Activity Research Question 3: Relationship between Motives for Physical Activity and Physical Activity 21 25 27 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 28 Implications and Conclusion Limitations Theoretical Applied Conclusion 31 31 32 32 33 REFERENCES 25 26 26 27 34 APPENDIX A.IRB 41 B IRB Amendment 43 C SURVEY 45 VITA 85 vii LIST OF TABLES Internal Consistencies for All Measures 22 Measure Descriptive Statistics 23 Inter-measure Correlations 24 Hypothesis Test Results 26 Research Question Results 27 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A university degree is becoming increasingly necessary for entry into many jobs in the modern workplace Correspondingly, the number of students attending college is at an all-time high The typical student ("Digest of Education Statistics, 2013 ", 2013) begins college at the age of 18 and graduates in his/her early 20s This is a time of life fraught with many changes and college adds to the stress and anxiety In 2014, the American College Health Association reported stress as the most important factor interfering with academic performance Therefore, it is necessary to identify coping mechanisms that students can use to alleviate stress One potential opportunity to combat the consequences of stress is the use of physical activity In previous research, daily physical activity has been found to help prevent physical and psychological maladaptive occurrences (Moksnes, Moljord, Espnes, & Byrne, 2010) In addition, adolescent students that experienced stress were less likely to report health complaints if they participated in physical activity (Haugland, Wold, & Torsheim, 2003) Overall, it appears that physical activity helps individuals control stress levels (Nguyen‐Michel et al., 2006) Many universities utilize college-health personnel to help promote physical activity Similar to the implementation of employee wellness programs in the workplace, it has been proposed that one optimal goal of college-health personnel is improved performance (Trockel, Barnes, & Egget, (2000) When college-age students participate in physical activity, they have the opportunity to improve their personal well-being (Keating, Guan, Piñero, & Bridges, 2010) Bray and Born (2004) found that students who maintained high physical activity levels after transitioning to college, reported lower levels of tension and fatigue Further, significant correlations between reduced anxiety and positive affect are found when physical activity is used as a coping mechanism (Thome & Espelage, 2004) The current research is beneficial because it addresses the use of physical activity as a moderator between stress and psychological wellbeing .. .EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, AND STRESS IN A COLLEGE POPULATION By Hannah Kruse Wike A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the University... the relationship between stress and psychological functioning in teenagers Physical Activity as a Coping Mechanism Many college students enjoy being involved in organizations and using the physical. .. Stress in a College Setting Physical Manifestations of Stress Coping Mechanisms Physical Activity Levels in College Students Physical Activity as a Coping Mechanism Psychological Well-Being Hypothesis