Emotional well-being of college students in health courses with and without an exercise component.
This study was designed to examine the effects of exercise on indices of emotional well-being of 584 college students enrolled in either a lecture-only health course or one of six health-fitness courses, each using a different mode of exercise including cross-training, aerobics, yoga, circuit weight training, swimming, and walk/jog. Each participant completed the Self-perception Profile for College Students developed by Neeman and Harter. Analysis yielded significant differences on five indices of emotional well-being (Global Self-worth, Appearance, Romantic Relationships, Social Acceptance, and Athletic Competence) between pre- and posttest scores of participants enrolled in the health-fitness courses, while no differences were found between pre-and posttest scores of participants enrolled in the lecture-only health course. Of the seven subscales examined, a significant interaction effect was found between sex/time and Romantic Relationships/Athletic Competence, with women reporting greater gains than men.
Muller
Susan M
SM
Department of Health, Physical Education and Human Performance, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD 21801, USA. smmuller@salisbury.edu
Dennis
Dixie L
DL
Gorrow
Teena
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires