Physical Activity, Loneliness, And Resilience In University Faculty And Staff

Physical activity (PA) has been found to be related to loneliness and resilience during COVID-19 (Broen et al., 2023; Carriedo et al., 2020). This relationship has not been examined in university faculty and staff as pandemic restrictions eased, but previous research with university personnel did find PA to be related with psychological well-being (Tobar & DeNardo, 2024). PURPOSE: To examine PA, loneliness, and resilience in faculty and staff at the near-end of the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 428 faculty and staff at a Division I university in the Midwest completed the Fall 2022 American College Health Association - National College Health Assessment that included the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale (Hughes et al., 2004), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 2 (Vaishnavi et al., 2007), and 7-day physical activity. Pearson correlations, independent t tests, and chi-square analyses were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Loneliness was correlated with moderate PA (r = -.13, p < .01) and strength days (r = -.11, p < .05). Resilience was correlated with moderate PA (r = .11, p < .05). Participants were categorized into groups (meeting or not meeting) ACSM guidelines for moderate PA only (37% met), vigorous PA only (17% met), strength days only (31% met), or both aerobic and strength (23% met). Those who met moderate PA guidelines reported less loneliness (M = 4.64, M = 5.19, p < .005), lower percentage categorized as “lonely” (31% vs 46%, p < .005), and more resilience (M = 6.65, M = 6.30, p < .01) than those who did not meet. Those who met the guidelines for strength days reported less loneliness (M = 4.67, M = 5.13, p < .01) than those who did not meet. Those who met both aerobic and strength guidelines reported less loneliness (M = 4.55, M = 5.13, p < .005) and lower percentage categorized as “lonely” (32% vs 44%, p < .05) than those who did not meet. No other comparisons were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate PA was associated with loneliness and resilience, and engaging in strength exercise was related to loneliness in faculty and staff. A large percentage of faculty and staff did not meet recommended PA guidelines, and these individuals were more susceptible to feeling lonely and less resilient. Universities should consider developing strategies to help faculty and staff achieve recommended PA levels to help with feeling less lonely and more resilient.