Investigation of gender differences in multivariate associations between physical activity and psychological distress

• Published in: Journal of American college health Vol. 70; no. 7; pp. 2220 - 2229
• Main Author: Lee, Dohyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 03.10.2022; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Anxiety; Change; College Students; Correlation; Cultural Differences; Depression (Psychology); Exercise; Females; Foreign Countries; gender; Gender Differences; Mental Health; Motivation; Physical activity; Physical Activity Level; Physical symptoms; Psychological distress; Psychological Patterns; Readiness; Self Efficacy; Social support; Social Support Groups; Stress Management; Stress Variables; Student Attitudes; Student Characteristics; Women; United States; South Korea; gender; mental health; Exercise
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1846049

Objective The study examined gender differences in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and psychological distress in college students. Participants: The participants were recruited at a university in the U.S. (91 subjects) and another university in South Korea (164 subjects) in November 2016. Methods: The subjects participated in an online survey. Results: PA had a significant association with a decrease of Psychological Distress only in women (β = −.27). Moreover, Social Support for PA (β = −.11) and PA Self-Efficacy (β = −.08) had an indirect effect on Psychological Distress only in Women. Conclusions: Only women showed a significant association between PA and psychological distress. PA Self-Efficacy and Social Support for PA were indirectly associated with Psychological Distress only in women. Moreover, women could be motivated to be physically active by both Social Support for PA and PA Self-Efficacy, whereas men could be motivated to exercise by PA Self-Efficacy.