Physical Activity Is Associated With Grit And Resilience In College Students: Is Intensity The Answer?

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) has been positively associated with academic performance; however, as students transition from high school to tertiary education their PA levels often decrease. The transition to tertiary education is a substantial life event, requiring a combination of academic and social determinants to succeed. Little research has investigated the associations between PA and determinants of academic success, such as grit and resilience. PURPOSE: To determine the associations among PA, grit and resilience in undergraduate students. METHODS: Undergraduate students (n=244; 165 females, age 21.1±2.9 years) participated in an online survey. Self-reported PA was collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Grit was measured using the Short Grit Scale and resilience was determined with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Linear regression analyses were used to determine associations among grit, resilience, and PA. One-way ANOVAs were used to determine differences in grit and resilience across tertiles of PA. RESULTS: Vigorous PA was positively associated with resilience (β=0.17, p=0.01) and the perseverance of effort grit domain (β=0.19, p=0.004), while being negatively associated with the consistency of interest grit domain (β=-0.22, p=0.001). Moderate PA was associated with both grit domains (p≤0.03) but not resilience (p=0.38). Further, resilience (tertile 1: 34.1±5.5 vs. tertile 2: 36.8±4.9, p=0.005) and the perseverance of effort grit domain (tertile 1: 4.1±0.7 vs. tertile 3: 4.4±0.5, p=0.01) were significantly higher with increased vigorous PA. Consistency of interest grit domain scores (tertile 1: 2.9±0.9 vs. tertile 3: 2.6±0.8, p=0.04) were lower with higher levels of vigorous PA. There were no differences in grit and resilience across tertiles of moderate PA (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vigorous PA was positively associated with the perseverance of effort grit domain and resilience but negatively associated with the consistency of interest grit domain. Moderate PA was also associated with grit but not resilience in this cohort. The findings suggest that intensity of PA may play a role in grit and resilience levels in students. Future research may be beneficial to determine if participation in vigorous PA can increase grit or resilience in college students.