A comparison of instructor-led, self-paced, and independent study stress management on stress levels of a college population and the effects of exercise on stress levels of a college population

The purpose of this study was two-fold. Part One was designed to determine the effect of stress inoculation treatment on self-reported stress levels of college students participating in one of three educational treatments: instructor-led, self-paced, and independent study. Self-reported stress levels were measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Hassles Scale (HS). In addition, health locus of control was studied to determine if being internal or non-internal could predict outcome of self-reported stress levels of college students. The results of this study showed a significant decrease in tension, depression, anger, and confusion in all three treatment groups, compared to the control group. There was also a significantly greater increase in vigor and decrease in fatigue, frequency of hassles and severity of hassles in the instructor-led and self-paced groups, compared to the independent study and control group though results may be compromised by non-randomization of groups at the outset. Both internal and non-internal subgroups showed parallel significant group changes pretest to posttest training for all variables. Part Two of this study was designed to determine if exercise level influenced outcome of self-reported stress levels (POMS and HS) among college students following completion of a mandatory 12-week aerobic exercise program. In addition, self-motivation was studied to determine if being a high or low self-motivator could predict outcome of self-reported stress levels and adherence to exercise. The results of this study revealed that subjects exercising prior to the study, who then failed to complete the exercise program, significantly increased tension, depression, anger, and confusion and significantly decreased vigor. Sedentary subjects, who started and completed the exercise program, showed a significant decrease in frequency and severity of hassles but showed no change for the other stress variables. In the comparison of high and low self-motivators there was no significant group difference in changes for any stress variables. However, both high and low self-motivators showed significant increases in exercise level, pretest to posttest training