Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Low levels of physical activity levels may have a relationship with depressive characteristics. Understanding if there is a relationship between physical activity and depressive traits in the adolescent population may contribute to effective ways to reduce depressive traits and increase physical activity. Procedure: Survey research was used to collect data about adolescents' demographic characteristics, physical activity levels, and depressive characteristics. Participants were selected from the adolescent school population. The sample was taken from a Minnesota public high school by using an entire tenth-grade population from a local school. Of the 75 students being used for sample size, nine were absent on the survey date and 22 didn't have signed consent forms, which left 44 to complete the survey. The RADS and IPAQ survey instruments were used to collect data. The survey gathered information on current physical activity levels and depressive symptomology in adolescents. Analysis of data involved descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis Pearson product-moment correlation, and independent sample t-tests. Conclusions: Three research questions were being considered with respect to data collection and analysis: 1. What is the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms? 2. What is the relationship between physical activity intensity and depressive symptoms? 3. What are the differences between physical activity, intensity, and depressive symptoms between genders, between those in physical education and those who were not, and between those whose sport participation is three to seven days per week compared to those whose participation is one day monthly or less? Among the 44 participants the Pearson correlation analysis found no significant relationship between physical activity or intensity and depression symptoms. Sport participation three to seven days a week was associated with a significantly higher time spent in vigorous activity than those not participating three to seven days per week in a sport. There were no significant differences in gender for vigorous physical activity, total MET, and RADS depressive symptoms.
Advisor
Marge Murray-Davis
Committee Member
Marlene Tappe
Committee Member
Sherry Folsom-Meek
Date of Degree
2012
Language
english
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Health Science
College
Allied Health and Nursing
Recommended Citation
Ganz, J. (2012). Relationship Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents [Master’s thesis, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/227/
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