Levels of Distress and Physical Activity of Adolescents during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The importance of physical activity, as one of the crucial resources for maintaining and improving physical health, was diminished during the Covid-19 pandemic. Except for the impact it has on physical health, physical activity may have various psychological benefits, especially during the development period of adolescence. The current findings of physical activity show that adolescents are more physically inactive during the pandemic than usual. Also, there are increasingly negative psychological outcomes in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore the levels of physical activity, negative affectivity, coping and preoccupation with the pandemic in an adolescent sample. The study involved 2409 adolescents (53.5% girls, 46.5% boys) from 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. Participants answered on a Likert-type scale. Findings of this research show that on average male adolescents are more likely to engage in physical activities than females. 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. The conclusion of this research indicates that levels of physical activity have a different effect on 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. © 2023 Montenegrin Sports Academy. All rights reserved.

Establishing physical functioning, quality of life and well-being during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia

The sudden emergence of COVID-19 has led to the confinement of people in homes around the world. In Croatia as well, people were in self-isolation and stayed at home. Since confinement conditions may greatly affect physical and mental health, we investigated the scope of physical activity (PA), well-being and quality of life. A total of 580 adults were surveyed online about PA and health-related quality of life during the lockdown in Croatia. The results have shown that men are more involved in vigorous-intensity PA and have better physical and mental health in almost all domains. When comparing respondents regarding categories of PA, participants with high levels of PA function better physically, have fewer role limitations due to emotional problems and have higher levels of emotional well-being, vitality, and general health. Males, participants with lower BMI, fewer role limitations due to emotional problems, greater vitality and better social functioning have better physical health. Participants who consider that their PA is adequate and engage more in PA, who have fewer role limitations due to physical health, less physical pain, and better general health have better mental health. The results provide insights into the physical and mental components of health during the pandemic. This supports the premise that physical and mental health are highly dependent, and that there is a need to promote the importance of PA, especially for women and those who are less physically active in pandemic times.