Institute for Civil Law, Labor and Commercial Law, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Institute for Education Studies, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
PLoS One. 2024 Jul 18;19(7):e0306809. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306809. eCollection 2024.
Prolonged study periods such as preparing for comprehensive exams pose a significant source of chronic stress for university students. According to the Conservation of Resources Theory, the replenishment of resources during leisure time is essential to a successful stress recovery process. This study examined the role of recovery experiences as a mediator of the relationship between physical activity as one specific recovery activity and both study-related stress and well-being. We applied a longitudinal design and approached students on three measurement occasions over seven months. The sample consisted of N = 56 advanced law students enrolled at one large German university who were all in their exam preparation to take their final exams. Students gave self-reports on their respective levels of physical activity (predictor), and recovery experiences (mediator), as well as on their study-related stress and well-being (outcomes). Results showed a negative trend in recovery-related variables and the outcomes as exam preparation progressed. There were mostly small correlations between physical activity and both stress and well-being at each measurement occasion. Recovery experiences partially mediated the relationship between physical activity and the outcomes on some measurement occasions. Our results suggest that the positive effects of recovery experiences related to physical activity become more sustained as exam preparation progresses and have a particularly positive impact on well-being. Future research can build on these findings by further examining recovery as an important means to help students better cope with long-lasting and stressful study periods.
长时间的学习阶段，如准备综合考试，对大学生来说是一个巨大的慢性压力源。根据资源保存理论，在闲暇时间补充资源对于成功的压力恢复过程至关重要。本研究考察了恢复体验作为一种中介变量的作用，该中介变量连接了作为一种特定恢复活动的身体活动与学习相关的压力和幸福感之间的关系。我们采用了纵向设计，在七个月的时间里分三次测量接近学生。样本包括 N = 56 名在德国一所大型大学攻读高级法律学位的学生，他们都在为期末考试做准备。学生们对自己的身体活动水平（预测因子）、恢复体验（中介变量）以及与学习相关的压力和幸福感（结果）进行了自我报告。结果表明，随着考试准备的进行，与恢复相关的变量和结果呈负向趋势。在每次测量时，身体活动与压力和幸福感之间的相关性大多较小。在某些测量时，恢复体验部分中介了身体活动与结果之间的关系。我们的结果表明，与身体活动相关的恢复体验的积极影响随着考试准备的进行而更加持久，对幸福感的影响尤其积极。未来的研究可以进一步研究恢复作为帮助学生更好地应对持久和压力大的学习阶段的重要手段，在此基础上进一步扩展这些发现。
