Effect of a Mindfulness Program on Stress, Anxiety and Depression in University Students

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Gallego ◽  
José M. Aguilar-Parra ◽  
Adolfo J. Cangas ◽  
Álvaro I. Langer ◽  
Israel Mañas

AbstractTwo of the problems that currently affect a large proportion of university students are high levels of anxiety and stress experienced in different situations, which are particularly high during the first years of their degree and during exam periods. The present study aims to investigate whether mindfulness training can bring about significant changes in the manifestations of depression, anxiety, and stress of students when compared to another group undergoing a physical activity program and a control group. The sample consisted of 125 students from the Bachelor of Education Program. The measuring instrument used was the Abbreviated Scale of Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-21). The results indicate that the effects of reducing the identified variables were higher for the mindfulness group than for the physical education group and for the control group F(2) = 5.91, p = .004, η2 = .106. The total scores for all variables related to the mindfulness group decreased significantly, including an important stress reduction t(29) = 2.95, p = .006, d = .667. Mindfulness exercises and some individual relaxing exercises involving Physical Education could help to reduce manifestations of stress and anxiety caused by exams in students.

2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712110132
Author(s):  
Ann Pulling Kuhn ◽  
Peter Stoepker ◽  
Brian Dauenhauer ◽  
Russell L. Carson

Objective: To identify, review, and describe multicomponent physical activity (PA) interventions in terms of: (a) number and combination of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) components, (b) study characteristics, and (c) primary outcomes. Data Source: Five electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, PsychInfo, Physical Education Index, Sport Discus, and ERIC). Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Included articles were peer-reviewed, written in English language, published since 1987, and included multicomponent school-based interventions. Data Extraction: Data items extracted were: school level, setting, CSPAP component description, health outcomes, academic outcomes, main conclusion, and reference. Data Synthesis: Included articles were synthesized by: (1) CSPAP components utilized, and (2) research outcome measured (i.e., health or academic). Results: Across 32 studies, 11 included physical education plus 1 additional CSPAP component (PE + 1); 10 included PE + 2 additional CSPAP components; 8 included PE + 3 additional CSPAP components; and 1 included all 5 CSPAP components. Two other studies included 2 or 3 CSPAP components without PE. Most interventions targeted health outcomes (94%) rather than academic outcomes (6%). Conclusions: Multicomponent approaches aligned with CSPAPs are effective in promoting PA and other positive outcomes for youth in schools. Future research should seek to understand effects of CSPAP components on a variety of outcomes and settings.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Matteo Crotti ◽  
James R. Rudd ◽  
Simon Roberts ◽  
Lynne M. Boddy ◽  
Katie Fitton Davies ◽  
...  

Background: School-based interventions are a key opportunity to improve children’s physical activity (PA); however, there is lack of evidence about how pedagogical approaches to motor learning in physical education (PE) might affect PA in children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess how different pedagogical approaches in PE might affect children’s PA. Methods: Participants (n = 360, 5–6 years) from 12 primary schools within the SAMPLE-PE randomized controlled trial were randomly allocated to either Linear Pedagogy (LP: n = 3) or Nonlinear Pedagogy (NP: n = 3) interventions, where schools received a 15-week PE intervention delivered by trained coaches, or to a control group (n = 6), where schools followed usual practice. ActiGraph GT9X accelerometers were used to assess PA metrics (moderate-to-vigorous PA, mean raw acceleration and lowest acceleration over the most active hour and half hour) over whole and segmented weeks at baseline, immediately post-intervention and 6 months follow-up. Intention to treat analysis employing multilevel modelling was used to assess intervention effects. Results: LP and NP interventions did not significantly affect children’s PA levels compared to the control group. Conclusion: PE interventions based on LP and NP alone might not be effective in improving habitual PA in children.


Author(s):  
Galih Prasetyo ◽  
Suroto ◽  
Dwi Cahyo Kartiko

The purpose of this research is to improve physical fitness which is one of the goals of physical education in Indonesia while also improving the nutritional status of Surabaya vocational high school students. This research uses the treatment of physical activity 3 times a week in 2 months as a task in physical education to improve physical fitness and nutrional status on the sample of this research. Research design uses quasi experimental design with metode non-randomized control group pretest-posttest design. Research data was obtained as follows: data processing result on experiment group show that physical activity to VO2max got significant score based calculating using SPSS of 0,00 and physical activity to nutrional status got sig. of 0,60. Whereas in the control group, physical actifity got sig. of 0.20 to VO2max and sig. to 0.11 on nutrional status. Based on the above analysis it can be concluded that physical activity has a significant effect on physical fitness but physical activity has no significant effect on nutrional status to Surabaya vocational high school students.


Retos ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
Santiago Guijarro-Romero ◽  
Daniel Mayorga-Vega ◽  
Carolina Casado-Robles ◽  
Jesús Viciana

El objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar el efecto de una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico en Educación Física sobre los niveles de actividad física y capacidad cardiorrespiratoria entre estudiantes con un perfil saludable/no saludable de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. Ochenta estudiantes de 2º-3º curso de Educación Secundaria fueron asignados aleatoriamente al grupo control y grupo experimental. El grupo experimental, dividido en perfiles saludable/no saludable, realizó una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico para mejorar la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. El grupo control trabajó un contenido diferente durante el mismo tiempo y con la misma frecuencia, pero sin hacer hincapié en la mejora de la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria. Antes y después de la intervención, la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria se evaluó objetivamente mediante el test de ida y vuelta de 20 metros. Los niveles de actividad física fueron medidos objetivamente a través de un pulsómetro durante las clases de Educación Física. Ambos perfiles tuvieron mayores niveles de actividad física durante las clases de Educación Física que el grupo control (p < .001). Sin embargo, solo los estudiantes con un perfil no saludable mejoraron significativamente sus niveles de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria tras la unidad didáctica (p < .01). Aunque una unidad didáctica intermitente de acondicionamiento físico parece tener un efecto similar en los niveles de actividad física de todos los perfiles de capacidad cardiorrespiratoria de los estudiantes, solo mejora la capacidad cardiorrespiratoria de los estudiantes con un perfil no saludable. Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effect of a Physical Education-based physical fitness intermittent teaching unit on physical activity levels and cardiorespiratory fitness among students with healthy/unhealthy cardiorespiratory fitness profile. Eighty students from 2º-3º grades of Secondary Education were randomly assigned to the control group and experimental group. The experimental group, divided into healthy/unhealthy profiles, performed a physical fitness intermittent teaching unit to improve the cardiorespiratory fitness. The control group worked a different content during the same time and with the same frequency, but without emphasizing cardiorespiratory fitness improvement. Before and after the teaching unit, students’ cardiorespiratory fitness was objectively measured by the 20-meter shuttle run test. Participants’ physical activity levels were measured objectively using a heart rate monitor during Physical Education lessons. Students from both profiles had higher physical activity levels during Physical Education lessons than the control group (p < .001). However, only students with an unhealthy cardiorespiratory fitness profile statistically improved their cardiorespiratory fitness levels after the teaching unit (p < .01). Although an intermittent physical fitness teaching unit seems to have similar effect on physical activity levels of students from all cardiorespiratory fitness profiles, it only improves the cardiorespiratory fitness of those with an unhealthy one.


Author(s):  
Aida Carballo-Fazanes ◽  
Javier Rico-Díaz ◽  
Roberto Barcala-Furelos ◽  
Ezequiel Rey ◽  
José E. Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
...  

University students, as a result of their lifestyles, represent a section of the population that is most likely to adopt sedentary behaviours. The aim of the present study was to analyse the determining factors dictating the performance of physical activity as well as sedentary behaviour among university students. A total of 608 students (64.6% women) from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) were selected by stratified random sampling to take part in the study, which involved completing a questionnaire on lifestyle and physical activity. Of the participating students, 69.6% indicated that they performed physical activity; the main reasons given were to maintain fitness and for health, while a lack of time and laziness were the principal reasons given for abandoning or not taking up physical exercise. Significant associations were established between not doing physical activity and the time exposed to screens, time studying, feeling low and smoking; on the other hand, associations could be seen between doing physical activity and the participation of relatives (parents, mothers, partners, older siblings and friends) in physical activity, as well as a positive sense of satisfaction relating to physical education taught in schools. In conclusion, most of the university students did some physical activity, which was associated with less sedentary behaviour, while the influence of school physical education and of the habits of relatives played an important role.


Kinesiology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Grao-Cruces ◽  
Rafael Ruiz-López ◽  
José-Enrique Moral-García ◽  
Alberto Ruiz-Ariza ◽  
Emilio J. Martínez-López

The aim of the study was to assess the effects that a steps/day programme may have on body mass index (BMI) among primary education students (11.37±0.48 years). A six-week controlled trial with a follow-up was completed with an experimental group (N=66, pedometer + steps/day programme + reinforcement programme in their physical education (PE) marks + weekly follow-up in PE), and a control group (N=76). Omron HJ-152-E2 pedometers were used. Normoweight students complied with programme requirements to a greater extent than their overweight counterparts (72.7 vs 59.1%). The programmed minimum number of 12,000 steps/day for boys and 10,000 for girls was exceeded by 83% of boys and 60% of girls. The differences in the number of steps/day between boys (14,274) and girls (10,626) were significant across all the measured periods (p&lt;.05). The results show that the teenagers who complied with the programme requirements reduced their BMI significantly after the intervention (p&lt;.001) and this reduction persisted for six weeks after the programme (p&lt;.001). In conclusion, the six-week programme of 12,000 steps/day for boys and 10,000 for girls, jointly with a reinforcement programme in their PE marks and weekly follow-up by their PE teacher, reduces BMI significantly in 11-12-year-old schoolchildren. Monitored steps/day programmes in the PE curriculum increase out-of-school physical activity and reduce BMI in 11-12-year-old schoolchildren.


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