Mechanisms of Physical Exercise Effects on Anxiety in Older Adults during the COVID-19 Lockdown: An Analysis of the Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience and the Moderating Role of Media Exposure

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 17;20(4):3588. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043588.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of physical exercise on anxiety in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, as well as the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of media exposure. An online questionnaire was used to survey older adults in Chengdu, Southwest China. A total of 451 older adults aged 60 years and older participated in the study (209 males and 242 females). The results suggest that physical exercise negatively influenced anxiety symptoms in older adults; psychological resilience mediated the effect of physical exercise on anxiety in older adults and negatively predicted it; furthermore, media exposure moderated the effects of physical exercise and psychological resilience on anxiety, and low levels of media exposure strengthened these effects. This study suggests that participation in physical exercise and reduced media exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown may have reduced anxiety in older adults.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; media exposure; older adults; physical exercise; psychological resilience.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • COVID-19* / psychology
  • Communicable Disease Control
  • Exercise
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Resilience, Psychological*

Grants and funding

This research were funded by the Sichuan Social Science Fund (grant number SC21ZW003), the Sichuan Province “Tianfu Scholars” Specially Appointed Experts Research Team Grant Project (grant number D401102), and the First Class Discipline Construction of Chengdu Sport University (grant number 07).