engleski

Levels of distress and physical activity of adolescents during the Covid-19 pandemic

The purpose of this study was to explore the levels of physical activity, negative affectivity, and coping and preoccupation with the pandemic in an adolescent sample. The study involved 2409 adolescents of elementary and high schools aged 10 to 19. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was applied, and information about levels of physical activity, coping and preoccupation with pandemic and isolation measures were collected. Research has been conducted anonymously and online via web form. Male and female adolescents are highly involved in physical activities – three or four times a week. Findings of this research show that on average male adolescents are more likely to engage in physical activities than females and exercise more frequently (five and more times a week, and females who exercise just once or twice a week). Also, a relation of physical inactivity distress and preoccupation was obtained for adolescent girls. No similar finding was found for males. However, very high physical activity (five or more times a week) was a protective factor for coping and preoccupation with coronavirus infection. Levels of physical activity have a different effect on the distress of male and female adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be concluded that female adolescents that are less physically active are more at risk of depression, anxiety and stress.

distress ; negative affectivity ; levels of physical activity ; COVID-19

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