ERIC Number: EJ1472547
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0744-8481
EISSN: EISSN-1940-3208
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Psychological Distress in a Sample of Predominately White Female College Students: The Role of Mindfulness and Physical Activity
Edward Silber1; Alex Garn2
Journal of American College Health, v73 n3 p871-878 2025
Objective: Framed in Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, this study examined the moderating effects of mindfulness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on the relationship between behavioral inhibition system (BIS) sensitivity and psychological distress in college students. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 183) at a large public university in the United States were included in the study. Methods: Self-reported BIS sensitivity, mindfulness, MVPA, and psychological distress were examined in November 2021. Results: Findings revealed a positive relationship between BIS sensitivity and psychological distress, however, this relationship was conditional on levels of mindfulness and MVPA. Specifically, increased reports of mindfulness and MVPA related to lower psychological distress for participants with higher than average BIS sensitivity. Conclusions: Mindfulness and MVPA are buffers for university students prone to psychological distress. Identifying diverse strategies that effectively lower psychological vulnerabilities in college students can be used to develop targeted interventions that reduce psychopathology and promote mental health.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Metacognition, Physical Activity Level, Behavior, Inhibition, Psychological Patterns, Correlation, Student Characteristics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Brief Symptom Inventory
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 2Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA