Poster Presentations - Guzman Lecture Hall

The Effects of Exercise on Anxiety In College Students Who Are Regularly Active

Location

Guzman Lecture Hall Poster #8

Start Date

4-24-2015 10:30 AM

End Date

4-24-2015 11:30 AM

Student Type

Undergraduate

Faculty Mentor(s)

Afshin Gharib, Ph.D.

Presentation Format

Poster Presentation

Abstract/Description

The nature of the research problem is to examine the relationship between exercise and anxiety. Broman-Faulks and Storey (2008) investigated the effectiveness of a brief aerobic exercise intervention for thirty-five undergraduate students exhibiting high anxiety. The results showed that exercise lead to lower anxiety scores while the control group stayed the same. Steptoe and Cox (1988) researched the effects of exercise on mood on thirty-two participants who carried out 8-minute trials of high-intensity exercise coupled with 8-minute trials of low-intensity exercise. The results showed that lower intensity exercise had the greatest benefit on anxiety levels. These previous studies support the claim that engaging in physical activity is associated with positive changes in mood states and mental functioning. The purpose of the current study is to provide more insight into how this relates in a sample study of already active college students. The majority of pertinent research conducted thus far is based on exercise regimens that are introduced as a departure from the participants' normal behavior. This project will be set apart from what already has been done by evaluating mood and anxiety levels in students aged 18 and over who are already consistently physically active versus a control group of students who exercise infrequently or not at all. The intentions of this study are to confirm the positive effects of exercise on anxiety. The hypothesis is that students who exercise will exhibit significantly lower levels of anxiety than the control group of students who do not regularly exercise. It is anticipated that about thirty exercisers and thirty non-exercisers (about 75% female) will be recruited from classes at a small liberal arts university in northern California. Both groups of participants will complete a demographic questionnaire reporting the amount of exercise they engage in each week and they will also complete the Inventory of Anxiety Symptoms (Watson et. al, 2007). It is predicted that there will be a negative correlation between hours of exercise and scores of anxiety and negative mood.

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Apr 24th, 10:30 AM Apr 24th, 11:30 AM

The Effects of Exercise on Anxiety In College Students Who Are Regularly Active

Guzman Lecture Hall Poster #8

The nature of the research problem is to examine the relationship between exercise and anxiety. Broman-Faulks and Storey (2008) investigated the effectiveness of a brief aerobic exercise intervention for thirty-five undergraduate students exhibiting high anxiety. The results showed that exercise lead to lower anxiety scores while the control group stayed the same. Steptoe and Cox (1988) researched the effects of exercise on mood on thirty-two participants who carried out 8-minute trials of high-intensity exercise coupled with 8-minute trials of low-intensity exercise. The results showed that lower intensity exercise had the greatest benefit on anxiety levels. These previous studies support the claim that engaging in physical activity is associated with positive changes in mood states and mental functioning. The purpose of the current study is to provide more insight into how this relates in a sample study of already active college students. The majority of pertinent research conducted thus far is based on exercise regimens that are introduced as a departure from the participants' normal behavior. This project will be set apart from what already has been done by evaluating mood and anxiety levels in students aged 18 and over who are already consistently physically active versus a control group of students who exercise infrequently or not at all. The intentions of this study are to confirm the positive effects of exercise on anxiety. The hypothesis is that students who exercise will exhibit significantly lower levels of anxiety than the control group of students who do not regularly exercise. It is anticipated that about thirty exercisers and thirty non-exercisers (about 75% female) will be recruited from classes at a small liberal arts university in northern California. Both groups of participants will complete a demographic questionnaire reporting the amount of exercise they engage in each week and they will also complete the Inventory of Anxiety Symptoms (Watson et. al, 2007). It is predicted that there will be a negative correlation between hours of exercise and scores of anxiety and negative mood.