EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ONLINE WELLBEING PROGRAM FOR UST CRS STUDENTS: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the 6-week online wellbeing program in improving the physical and mental wellbeing of University of Santo Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences (UST-CRS) students. Methods: This two-arm randomized trial involved 24 UST-CRS students randomly allocated into intervention and waitlist control groups. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and screened with the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms. The program covered psychological and physical activities, delivered through the Wix website for six weeks. Pre- and post-assessments included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Jamovie was used for descriptive and inferential statistics. Alpha level was set at 0.05. Results: Within-group analysis revealed METS total scores increased for both intervention (mean difference: 597.00) and control groups (mean difference: 275.75). Similarly, an increase in WHO-5 percentage scores (mean difference of 6.00) and control groups (difference of 6.00) was observed. Between-group analysis showed no statistically significant difference in post-test METS total scores between the intervention and control groups (p-value 0.648) and WHO-5 percentage scores (p-value 0.696). Discussion: Initial results demonstrated no significant improvements in UST CRS students' physical and mental wellbeing in the 6-week program. The small sample size may have hindered the inability to detect significant changes in the measured outcomes. However, considering the mean difference, the study suggests regular physical activity, healthy habits, and routine building may still benefit students. Research with larger sample sizes and longer intervention durations could provide more conclusive evidence of the program's impact on UST-CRS students’ well-being.