Examining the Between- and Within-Person Associations Between Psychological Stress and Physical Activity: A Random...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Sciences
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Frequent or prolonged psychological stress elevates risks for physical and mental health issues.
• High stress levels can negatively influence engagement in physical activity.
• Understanding the interplay between stress and physical activity is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bidirectional relationship between physical activity and psychological stress over time.
• To determine if physical activity influences subsequent stress levels and vice versa.
• To analyze associations at both between-person and within-person levels.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 800 adults tracking physical activity and psychological stress over two months.
• Utilized questionnaires for data collection at baseline, one-month, and two-month follow-ups.
• Employed a random intercept cross-lagged panel model to analyze temporal associations.

Main Results:

• A significant negative association was found between psychological stress and physical activity at the between-person level (r = -0.209).
• Within-person associations between physical activity and subsequent stress, and stress and subsequent physical activity, were not statistically significant.
• Magnitude of within-person effects, though non-significant, indicated a potential small negative relationship.

Conclusions:

• On average, individuals with higher physical activity report lower psychological stress.
• The study highlights a significant between-person correlation but non-significant within-person dynamics.
• Further research is needed to reconcile these findings and explore the nuances of the physical activity-stress relationship.