The relationship between perceived stress and psychological resilience levels according to state of physical activity in 6th grade students of Trakya University Faculty of medicine

In this study, the aim was to investigate the impact of physical activity levels on the perceived stress and psychological resilience of final-year students at Trakya University Faculty of Medicine. The study population consisted of 238 final-year students enrolled in the Trakya University Faculty of Medicine during the 2022-2023 academic year. Individuals with a history of chronic illness, psychiatric disorders, conditions that could hinder physical activity, or regular medication use were excluded from the study. The study was conducted with 154 students who met the inclusion criteria. Participants were administered a questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions and a total of 43 questions, including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Perceived Stress Scale, and the Brief Resilience Scale. Of the participants, 72 (46.8%) were male, and 82 (53.2%) were female, with an average age of 24.33±1.13. The findings revealed that 14.3% of the participants were inactive, 54.5% were minimally active, and 31.2% were highly active, with males being more active. The total score of the Perceived Stress Scale for participants was 27.39±8.12, with females having significantly higher perceived stress. The total score of the Brief Resilience Scale was 19.86±4.61, indicating higher psychological resilience in males. Additionally, those without financial difficulties and those who intentionally chose the medical faculty showed higher psychological resilience. The study did not observe a significant correlation between participants' physical activity levels, perceived stress, and psychological resilience. These findings suggest the need to expand the scope of the study, conduct more in-depth analyses in future research, or consider different variables to gain new perspectives.