Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2025

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
Published on: May 4, 2020
Reallocating time between movement behaviors has implications for post-secondary students' mental health and
Claire I Groves1, Matthew Y W Kwan2, Braden Witham1
1Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Abstract:
Objective: Examine the theoretical impact of reallocating time between self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), recreational screen time, and sleep on psychological distress and mental wellbeing among post-secondary students. Participants: 24,742 post-secondary students (Mage=24.3 ± 7.72 SD years; 66.4% women) from Cycle 1 of the Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey. Methods: Cross-sectional isotemporal substitution modeling. Results: Replacing 20 min of screen time with either sleep or MVPA was associated with lower psychological distress, greater mental wellbeing, lower odds of reporting mild-to-severe psychological distress and low mental wellbeing, except for reallocating screen time to sleep among students who exceed the sleep guideline recommendations. Reallocating time between sleep and MVPA revealed noteworthy patterns: replacing sleep with MVPA was associated with greater mental wellbeing but not lower psychological distress. Conclusions: Findings highlight the potential mental health benefits of replacing screen time with sleep or MVPA as an integrative whole day approach to promote campus wellness.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Cognitive Dissonance
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the...

