Investigation of fear of COVID-19, level of physical activity, academic performance, and grit in physiotherapy students receiving distance education

The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the fear of COVID-19, physical activity level and academic performance, grit in physiotherapy students receiving distance education, and the secondary aim was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic period on the perceived physical activity level and grit of physiotherapy students. The third aim of the study was to investigate the effect of changes in students' perceived physical activity levels on academic performance and grit during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the relationship between academic performance and grit. A total of 185 undergraduate students, 143 female and 42 male, studying at Dokuz Eylül University School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation were included in the study. After the demographic information of the students, who accepted to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria, was recorded, their physical activity levels by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), their levels of fear were by the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), levels of grit by the Short Grit Scale (GRIT-S) and academic performances by grade point averages were evaluated. Participants' median (minimum–maximum) of the IPAQ-SF, the FCV-19S, the GRIT-S, and grade point average were 1320.00 (66.00-11016.00) MET-min/week, 17.00 (7.00-31.00) point, 2.50, (1.00-4.38) point, 83.43 (52.83-94.27) point, respectively. While there was a positive moderate correlation between grade point average and the FCV-19S (rho=0.407; p<0.001), no significant correlation was found between grade point average and IPAQ-SF (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between the GRIT-S and the FCV-19S and IPAQ-SF (p>0.05). Compared to pre-pandemic period, 82.7% of the students reported that their physical activity level decreased and 69.2% of them reported that their grit level decreased. The change in students' perceived physical activity level had no effect on academic performance and perseverance. (p>0.05). A negative low correlation was determined between the participants' GRIT-S and grade point average (rho=-0.318; p<0.001). As a result, there was a decrease in the physical activity and grit levels of university students in the transition with distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic period. There was a relationship between the increased COVID-19 fear levels of students, decreased their grit levels and higher academic performance.