The UWorkItOut UWin Program: Improving University Students’ Psychological Distress through Physical Activity

Irene L. Muir, MHK, Krista J. Munroe-Chandler, Todd M. Loughead, Chad A. Sutherland, Kieran G. Hawksley

Abstract


Background: The predominance of mental health concerns among post-secondary students has amplified the demand for campus counselling services. Although exercise is positively linked to mental health, campus interventions that integrate supervised exercise and exercise counselling are limited. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the UWorkItOut UWin program on students’ psychological distress. Methods: The UWorkItOut UWin program is a 6-week exercise training and counselling intervention offered to low risk, sedentary students seeking counselling services at a mid-sized Canadian University. The participants included 49 (male, n = 16; female, n = 32; gender invariant, n = 1) university students (71% undergraduate) with a mean age of 23.08 years (SD = 4.97). Students completed one unsupervised (60 minutes) and two supervised (45 mins each) exercise training sessions per week. Students also attended weekly individual exercise counselling sessions (30 minutes each). The Mental Health Inventory-38 (MHI-38) was used to measure changes in the three subscales of psychological distress: 1) anxiety, 2) depression, and 3) loss of emotional control. Results: Paired samples t tests demonstrated significant decreases in anxiety and depression scores from pre-to post-intervention (ps < .05). No significant change was found for loss of emotional control from pre-to post-intervention (p > .05). Conclusion: The findings provide evidence for the effect of exercise in reducing university students’ psychological distress. Consequently, exercise is an additional mental health service for this population, alleviating strain on campus counselling services.

Keywords


Depression, Mental Health, Psychological Distress, Anxiety, Counselling, Students, Exercise

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ahn, J., Jeon, H., & Kwon, S. (2016). Associations between self-regulation, exercise participation, and adherence intention among Korean university students. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 123(1), 324-340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0031512516659874

American College Health Association. (2016). Canadian reference group: Executive summary. Retrieved from https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-II%20SPRING%202016%20CANADIAN%20REFERENCE%20GROUP%20EXECUTIVE%20SUMMARY.pdf

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman.

Bewick, B., Koutsopoulou, G., Miles, J., Slaa, E., & Barkham, M. (2010). Changes in undergraduate students’ psychological well-being as they progress through university. Studies in Higher Education, 35(6), 633-645. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2019.100316.

Cairns, S. L., Massfeller, H. F., & Deeth, S. C. (2010). Why do post-secondary students seek counselling? Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy/Revue Canadienne de Counseling et de Psychothérapie, 44(1), 34-50.

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. (2002). PAR-Q & You (A questionnaire for people aged 15 to 69). Retrieved from http://uwfitness.uwaterloo.ca/PDF/par-q.pdf

Caspersen, C. J., Powell, K. E., & Christenson, G. M. (1985). Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: Definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Reports, 100(2), 126-131.

Center for Collegiate Mental Health. (2019). 2019 Annual report. Retrieved from https://ccmh.psu.edu/files/2020/03/2019-CCMH-Annual-Report_3.17.20.pdf

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). New York: Academic Press.

Courneya, K., & McAuley, E. (1995). Cognitive mediators of the social influence-exercise adherence relationship: A test of the theory of planned behaviour. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 18(5), 499-515. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01904776

Davies, A. R., Sherbourne, C. D., Peterson, J., & Ware, J. E. (1988). Scoring manual, adult health status and patients satisfaction measures used in RAND’s health insurance experiment. Santa Monica, California: The RAND Corporation.

deJonge, M., Omran, J., Faulkner, G. E., & Sabiston, C. M. (2020). University students’ and clinicians’ beliefs and attitudes towards physical activity for mental health. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 18, 100316. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2019.100316

Delman, H. M., Robinson, D. G., Kimmelblatt, C. A., & McCormack, J. (2008). General psychiatric symptoms measures. In A. J. Rush, M. B., First, & D. Blacker (Eds.), Handbook of psychiatric measures (pp. 61-79). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.2008.59.11.1351

Demers, N. R. (2013). The relationship between exercise and mental health in college students (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/handle/10365/27187.

Fenton, L., White, C., Hamilton-Hinch, B., & Gilbert, R. (2018). The impacts of recreation programs on the mental health of postsecondary students in North America: An integrative review. Leisure Sciences, 1-25. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2018.1483851

Hegberg, N. J., & Tone, E. B. (2015). Physical activity and stress resilience: Considering those at-risk for developing mental health problems. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 8, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2014.10.001

Herbert, C., Meixner, F., Wiebking, C., & Gilg, V. (2020). Regular physical activity, short-term exercise, mental health, and well-being among university students: The results of an online and laboratory study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 509. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00509

Herring, M. P., Jacob, M. L., Suveg, C., & O’Connor, P. J. (2011). Effects of a short-term exercise training on signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 4(2), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2011.07.002

Huang, J., Nigatu, Y. T., Smail-Crevier, R., Zhang, X., & Wang, J. (2018). Interventions for common mental health problems among university and college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 107(1), 1-10. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.09.018

Knobf, T. M., Thompson, S. A., Fennie, K. S., & Erdos, D. S. (2014). The effect of a community-based exercise intervention on symptoms and quality of life. Cancer Nursing, 37(2), E43-E50. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e318288d40e

Kolodinsky, J., Harvey-Berino, J. R., Berlin, L., Johnson, R. K., & Reynolds, T. W. (2007). Knowledge of current dietary guidelines and food choice by college students: Better eaters have higher knowledge of dietary guidance. Journal of American Dietetic Association, 107(8), 1409-1413. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2007.05.016

Lepp, A., Barkley, J. E., & Karpinski, A. C. (2014). The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction with life in college students. Computers in Human Behaviour, 31, 343-350. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.049

Lox, C. L., Martin Ginis, K. A., Gainforth, H. L., & Petruzzello, S. J. (2019). The psychology of exercise: Integrating theory and practice (5th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Mahmoud, J. S. R., Staten, R. T., Hall, L. A., & Lennie, T. A. (2012). The relationship among young adult college students’ depression, anxiety, stress, demographics, life satisfaction, and coping styles. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(3), 149-156. https://dx.doi.org/10.3109/01612840.2011.632708

Marcotte, J., & Lévesque, G. (2018). Anxiety and well-being among students in a psychoeducation program: The mediating role of identity. Journal of College Student Development, 59(1), 90-104. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2018.0006

Mayo Clinic. (2020). Mental illness. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mentalillness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968

Mazolini, S., Jensen, B., & Melville, P. (2009). Feasibility and effects of a group-based resistance and aerobic exercise program for individuals with severe schizophrenia: A multidisciplinary approach. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 21(1), 29-36. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2008.11.001

McFadden, T., Fortier, M. S., & Guérin, E. (2017). Investigating the effects of physical activity counselling on depressive symptoms and physical activity in female undergraduate students with depression: A multiple baseline single-subject design. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 12, 25–36. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2017.01.002

Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2013). Together we accelerate the change: Taking action on the mental health strategy for Canada. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/MHCC_AnnualReport2014_ENG_web_0.pdf

Mikkelsen, K., Stojanovska, L., Polenakovic, M., Bosevski, M., & Apostolopoulos, V. (2017). Exercise and mental health. Maturitas, 106, 48-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003

Nasstasia, Y., Baker, A. L., Lewin, T. J., Halpin, S. A., Hides, L., Kelly, B. J., & Callister, R. (2019). Engaging youth with major depression in an exercise intervention with motivational interviewing. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 17, 100295. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2019.100295

Paulo, T. R., Tribess, S., Sasaki, J. E., Meneguci, J., Martins, C., A. Freitas, I. F. ...Virtuoso Jr. J.S. (2016). A cross-sectional study of the relationship of physical activity with depression and cognitive deficit in older adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 24(2), 311–321. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2015-0253

Pridgeon, L., & Grogan, S. (2012). Understanding exercise adherence and dropout: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of men and women’s accounts of gym attendance and non-attendance. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise, and Health, 4(3), 382-399. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2012.712984

Rosenbaum, S., Tiedemann, A., Sherrington, C., Curtis, J., & Ward, P. B. (2014). Meta-analysis physical activity interventions for people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 75(9), 964-974. https://dx.doi.org/10.4088/JCP.13r08765

Scarapicchia, T. M., Sabiston, C. M., Pila, E., Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K. P., & Faulkner, G. (2017). A longitudinal investigation of a multidimensional model of social support and physical activity over the first year of university. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 31, 11-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.03.011

Smits, J. A., Berry, A. C., Rosenfield, D., Powers, M. B., Behar, E., & Otto, M. W. (2008). Reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. Depression and Anxiety, 25(8), 689-699. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.20411

Sokal, L. (2016). Five windows and a locked door: University accommodation responses to students with anxiety disorders. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7(1), 1-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2016.1.10

Tampke, D. R. (2013). Developing, implementing, and assessing an early alert system. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 14(4), 523–532. https://dx.doi.org/10.2190/CS.14.4.e

Veit, C. T., & Ware, J. E. (1983). The structure of psychological distress and well-being in general populations. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(5), 730-742. https://doi.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-006X.51.5.730

Walsh, R. (2011). Lifestyle and mental health. American Psychologist, 66(7), 579–592. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0021769

World Health Organization. (2005). Promoting Mental Health: Concepts, emerging evidence, practice. WHO collaboration with the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation and University of Melbourne. Geneva: WHO press.

Zhang, J., Brackbill, D., Yang, S., & Centola, D. (2015). Efficacy and causal mechanism of an online social media intervention to increase physical activity: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Preventative Medicine Reports, 2, 651-657. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.08.005




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.8n.3p.36

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2013-2024 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.