How Short-Term Aerobic Exercise Affects Stress and Mood in Students

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy

• Registration Number: NCT06984900
• Lead Sponsor: Qassim University

Brief Summary

This study was conducted to understand how short-term aerobic exercise affects mood and stress in university students. The research focused on healthy male and female students between the ages of 18 and 25. Participants were asked to complete two questionnaires: one to measure their mood and another to assess their stress levels. These questionnaires were filled out before, immediately after, and at several intervals up to 24 hours after a single session of aerobic exercise.The goal was to see whether exercise could quickly improve mood and reduce stress, and how long these effects might last. The study was carefully designed, and ethically approved. By focusing on immediate and short-term changes, the research highlights the potential benefits of exercise for mental well-being in young adults.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-01-17
• Primary Completion: 2024-05-30
• Study Completion: 2024-05-30
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-05-14
• Study First Posted: 2025-05-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-22
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy male and female students aged between 18 and 25 years.
• Ability to speak and understand written English.

Exclusion Criteria

• Students who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• Students who currently smoke.
• Students who respond "yes" to any of the seven questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
• Students taking medications for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
• Students with a current or past diagnosis of a psychotic disorder.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Improvement in Total Mood Disturbance Following Short-Term Aerobic Exercise in University Students	TMD is assessed at eight time points: Before exercise (T0) Immediately after exercise (T1) At intervals: 1 hour (T2), 2 hours (T3), 4 hours (T4), 8 hours (T5), 12 hours (T6), and 24 hours post-exercise (T7).	Total Mood Disturbance (TMD): Measured using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire.; Scores range from 0 to a maximum depending on the number of items (65 items rated on a 0-4 Likert scale, resulting in a theoretical range of 0 to 260).; A higher TMD score represents a worse overall mood outcome.
Perceived Stress Levels Following Short-Term Aerobic Exercise in University Students	Assessed at two time points: Before exercise (T0) 24 hours after exercise (T7).	Perceived Stress Levels: Measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Scores range from 0 to 40.; Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived stress. Scores can be categorized as: Low stress: 0-13 Moderate stress: 14-26 High stress: 27-40

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Qassim University, in Qassim University Medical City, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).; 🇸🇦 Buraydah, Saudi Arabia