Chinese College Students’ Physical-Exercise Behavior, Negative Emotions, and Their Correlation during the COVID-19 Outbreak

Shan-Shan Han, Bo Li, You-Zhi Ke, Guang-Xu Wang, Shu-Qiao Meng, Ya-Xing Li, Zhong-Lei Cui and Wen-Xia Tong ()
Additional contact information
Shan-Shan Han: Institute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Bo Li: Institute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
You-Zhi Ke: School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Guang-Xu Wang: College of Physical Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Shu-Qiao Meng: Physical Education College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Ya-Xing Li: Physical Education College, Shangqiu University, Shangqiu 476000, China
Zhong-Lei Cui: Physical Education College, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu 476000, China
Wen-Xia Tong: Physical Education College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: Background: In the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of college students’ physical exercise, the detection rate of negative emotions, and their correlation should attract extensive attention. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation between college students’ physical exercise and negative emotions. Methods: Data were collected via a web-based cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 3118 college students from five universities in Shanghai in March 2022. In addition to sociodemographic information, measures included Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). The chi-squared test and logistic regression were used to analyze the differences and test the relative risk of negative emotions caused by different amounts of physical exercise. Results: Most students (66.1%) performed a small amount of physical exercise. Male students’ physical-exercise level was higher than female students’, and the detection rate of negative emotions was lower than that of female students. Moderate and low physical-exercise levels were associated with a higher risk of depression (beta of 0.289 and 0.345, respectively) and anxiety (beta of 0.301 and 0.418) symptoms than high physical-exercise level. Conclusions: The anxiety symptoms of college students were significant during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The physical-exercise behavior of college students was closely related to negative emotions, and the weakening of physical-exercise behavior was one of the factors that induced negative emotions in college students.

Keywords: college student; exercise behavior; negative emotion; mental health; health promotion; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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