Managing stress in higher education: Does participation in adult soccer leagues decrease stress scores of college students pre to post-season?

Abstract

This Doctorate of Nursing Practice evidence-based practice project on managing stress in an academic setting was prompted due to an increasing number of college students unable to control their stress and well-being effectively. Centered on numerous studies indicating that individuals who engage in regular physical activity have lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, this project’s objective was to evaluate stress management by comparing stress levels of college students who participated in the adult leagues of the Hawaii Soccer Association (HSA) and American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), pre-and post-season, during the Fall academic semester. The project site was completed online through email. Stress was measured pre- and post-intervention using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). A Google Form was also used to collect demographic information and data about academics and sports.