work assignments

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2019

www.PosterPresentations.com

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a high-intensity exercise program on university student’s psychological well-being in comparison to a low-intensity exercise program. The hypothesis guiding this study looked to investigate whether a high-intensity exercise program has a more positive effect on a university students psychological well-being than a low-intensity exercise program. Participants were randomly chosen using a simple random sample design, and then randomly placed into either the low-intensity exercise program group, or the high-intensity exercise program group. Each intervention group took part in the exercise program for 4-weeks and used a smart watch to track their exercise. Both before and after the participants completed the exercise program, each participant completed a Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire, which was used as a tool to measure their feelings towards their own psychological well-being. The scores from the questionnaire were used to test the hypothesis, and indicated which exercise group had the greatest effect on improving the participants psychological well-being. Results from the study confirmed the hypothesis being tested, indicating that the high-intensity exercise group had larger improvements in positive feelings of psychological well-being, whereas the low-intensity group had fewer positive feelings of psychological well-being.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

POPULATION • 30 participants (18 male, 12 female) • University students • 18-25 years of age • Simple random sample technique

MEASURES • Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) (e.g. gender, age, socioeconomic status, schooling) • Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (PWBQ)

(Salsman et al., 2013)

PROCEDURE Analyzation of current research

Hypothesis created

50 participants chosen through random selection & notified by email

30 participants agree to study

Confidentiality agreement/consent form signed by participants

PIQ completed by participants

Details of study explained to participants

Participants randomized into exercise groups (low or high-intensity)

Pre-Intervention PWBQ completed by participants

4-week exercise program completed by participants

Post-intervention PWBQ completed by participants

Analyzation of data collected

Hypothesis Tested

Final conclusion of study determined

METHODS • Both groups saw an increase in mean PWBQ scores • High-intensity group saw a greater increase in mean scores • Low-intensity group saw a slight increase in mean scores, but

not as substantial as high-intensity group High-Intensity Group: • Pre-exercise PWBQ mean score = 18.40 • Post-exercise PWBQ mean score = 38.13 • Increase in PWBQ mean score = +19.73 Low-Intensity Group: • Pre-exercise PWBQ mean score = 18.6 • Post-exercise PWBQ mean score = 20.60 • Increase in PWBQ mean score = +2.0

RESULTS DISCUSSION • Hypothesis confirmed • High-intensity exercise program will have a more

positive effect on a university students psychological well-being than a low-intensity exercise program

• High intensity exercise program showed more positive results (greater improvement in mean PWBQ scores)

• Correlations between intervention groups • Both groups had overall increases in psychological

well-being after partaking in the exercise program • Correlations present supports the idea that any form

of physical activity can have a positive effect on an individual's psychological well-being

EXERCISE PROGRAM SCHEDULES

REFERENCES Huppert, F. A. (2009). Psychological well-being: Evidence regarding its causes and consequences. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 1(2), 137-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-0854.2009.01008.x

Lawton, G. (2019 May 31). Why are students at university so stressed? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/31/why- are-students-at-university-so-stressed

Salsman, J. M., Lai, J., Hendrie, H. C., Butt, Z., Zill, N., Pilkonis, P. A., Peterson, C., Stoney, C. M., Brouwers., & Cella, D. (2013). Assessing psychological well-being: Self-report instruments for the NIH toolbox. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 23(1), 205- 215. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11136-013-0452-3

• Psychological well-being is a term that refers to an individual’s “combination of feeling good and functioning effectively” (Huppert, 2009, p. 137)

• University can cause negative feelings towards a person's psychological well-being due to the intensity of it (Lawton, 2019)

• The stress of university leaves students overwhelmed and feeling as though they are unable to handle tasks given to them (Lawton, 2019)

• Important to find ways to cope with the stress that students have to endure, and find ways to increase their psychological well- being

• Studies have been done to show the effectiveness of using exercise to increase the psychological well-being of populations of people

• Analyzation of current literature indicates no evidence of what specific types of exercise are the most beneficial for different populations of people

• More research needs to be done to determine if exercise can be used a mechanism to cope with stress that people may experience

• No evidence on research completed on the effectiveness of using exercise to help university students cope with stress experienced due to school

HYPOTHESIS: Investigate whether a high-intensity exercise program has a more positive effect on a university students psychological well-being than a low-intensity exercise program.

University of Manitoba

Emma Gylywoychuk-Winkler (7856724) Comparing the Psychological Benefits of Low-Intensity Exercise & High-Intensity Exercise

Table 3 Low-Intensity Exercise Schedule

Table 4 High-Intensity Exercise Schedule

Figure 1 Overall Changes in Mean Scores from PWBQ

Table 1 Low-Intensity PWBQ Mean Scores

Table 2 High-Intensity PWBQ Mean Scores