Modelling the Effectiveness of Recreational Physical Activities Focused on Improving Stress Tolerance in University Students During Wartime

Objectives. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various health-enhancing recreational physical activity (PA) programs in the prevention of stress-related states in students during wartime. Materials and methods. The study involved 125 university students, and used questionnaires comprising blocks of questions designed to ascertain psychophysiological indicators (activity, mood, sleep, appetite, performance, and well-being) with the 5-point Likert scale; stress level by Shcherbatykh; anxiety scores using the Spielberg-Hanin Inventory; and the risk of PTSD using the Mississippi Scale. To analyze the impact of different types of PA on stress-related states, logistic regression models were built. Additionally, GLZ models were used. The statistical significance of the models was assessed using the Wald test. Results. The analysis indicated that adventure tourism is a statistically significant predictor (p<0.05) of stress reduction, a decrease in heavy thoughts, and mood improvement. Mental fitness was found to be the most effective means for restoring mental balance. The models for predicting an increase in stress tolerance revealed dependencies on the type and amount of PA. This study contributes to the extant scientific knowledge base in the field of health-enhancing recreational physical activity aimed at preventing stress-related states. The proposed approach to the use of GLZ-models in the study of students’ stress tolerance opens up new opportunities for analyzing the complex relationships between types of PA and psycho-emotional states. Conclusions. The modelling results obtained allow for precise predictions regarding the effectiveness of different types of PA in the prevention of stress-related states among university students. The developed models can be used to generate individualized recommendations for physical activity, taking into account the unique needs, stress levels, and psycho-emotional state of students.