Exercise and Stress among Graduate Students

Abstract

Given the stressful nature of graduate students’ schedules, it is necessary to explore both how stress affects their lives and how it can be mitigated. Exercise has been empirically qualified as a positive coping mechanism against stress, citing improved physiological and emotional benefits. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between how often graduate students exercise and their score on the Benefits/Barriers Scale [EBBS]. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design. Results were gathered using an online questionnaire, then analyzed using Pearson’s correlation method to determine whether there was a relationship between how often graduate students exercised and their score on the Benefits/Barriers Scale [EBBS]. The findings obtained in this study, through statistical calculations reveal that exercising and stress are correlated to each other. Considering the effects, it imposes on university graduate students, the results indicated that correlation between exercise and stress is inverse, which implies that with better exercising habits, the stress level among these students decreases. This in turn enhances their psychological as well as physical health outcomes over the period of time.