How Short-Term Aerobic Exercise Affects Stress and Mood in Students (SEAEM)

Investigating The Effect of Short-Term Aerobic Exercise on Stress and Mood Among Students

This study was conducted to understand how short-term aerobic exercise affects mood and stress in university students. The research focused on healthy male and female students between the ages of 18 and 25. Participants were asked to complete two questionnaires: one to measure their mood and another to assess their stress levels. These questionnaires were filled out before, immediately after, and at several intervals up to 24 hours after a single session of aerobic exercise.The goal was to see whether exercise could quickly improve mood and reduce stress, and how long these effects might last. The study was carefully designed, and ethically approved. By focusing on immediate and short-term changes, the research highlights the potential benefits of exercise for mental well-being in young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Group Aerobic Exercise Session

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, 51452
    • Qassim University, in Qassim University Medical City, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy male and female students aged between 18 and 25 years.
• Ability to speak and understand written English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• Students who currently smoke.
• Students who respond "yes" to any of the seven questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
• Students taking medications for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
• Students with a current or past diagnosis of a psychotic disorder.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Short-Term Aerobic Exercise Group

Other: Group Aerobic Exercise Session; The Aerobic Exercise Program is designed to improve mood and reduce stress among university students through structured, moderate-intensity aerobic activities. Session Structure: Participants engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercises such as treadmill walking or running, tailored to individual fitness levels, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. Each session consists of a 10-minute warm-up, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and a 5-minute cool-down. This intervention incorporates a dual assessment approach using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to evaluate mood and stress levels both before and after exercise. Participants complete these assessments multiple times, allowing for a nuanced understanding of how aerobic exercise influences mood and stress over time.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Improvement in Total Mood Disturbance Following Short-Term Aerobic Exercise in University Students	Total Mood Disturbance (TMD): Measured using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. Scores range from 0 to a maximum depending on the number of items (65 items rated on a 0-4 Likert scale, resulting in a theoretical range of 0 to 260). A higher TMD score represents a worse overall mood outcome.	TMD is assessed at eight time points: Before exercise (T0) Immediately after exercise (T1) At intervals: 1 hour (T2), 2 hours (T3), 4 hours (T4), 8 hours (T5), 12 hours (T6), and 24 hours post-exercise (T7).
Perceived Stress Levels Following Short-Term Aerobic Exercise in University Students	Perceived Stress Levels: Measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Scores range from 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived stress. Scores can be categorized as: Low stress: 0-13 Moderate stress: 14-26 High stress: 27-40	Assessed at two time points: Before exercise (T0) 24 hours after exercise (T7).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Qassim University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 17, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 14, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 14, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): May 22, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 29, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 22, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise; Mental Health; Stress; Mood; Well-Being
• Other Study ID Numbers: 24-71-12

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The study aims to share individual participant data (IPD) with other researchers for further analysis and to enhance the understanding of the effects of aerobic exercise on mood and stress among students.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: IPD will be made available upon request. Requests can be submitted to the principal investigator.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No