Relationship Between COVID-19 Anxiety and Recreational Activity Levels in University Students During COVID-19 Pandemic

A new type of coronavirus (COVID-19); It is a disease that manifested itself especially with respiratory symptoms in China at the end of 2019 and was defined by the World Health Organization in 2020 and affected the whole world. Shutdown-restriction decisions related to COVID-19 have reduced people's perception of and participation in physical and recreational activities. Considering the positive effects of recreational activities on people’s mental and physical health, this study aimed to measure the recreational activity preferences of young adult university students during the pandemic period and the psychological outcomes of these preferences. In the study, the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, the COVID-19 Fear Scale, and the Recreational Benefit Scale were used. According to the findings, it was determined that people who exercise at home and those who prefer to play games with their friends have lower fears of COVID-19 (p < .05). As a result, it has been observed that while the restrictions of the pandemic period cause a decrease in physical activity and recreational activities, continuing exercise at home and activities involving social interaction support the well-being and psychological well-being of young people and reduce fear of COVID-19. In the light of this information, it has been concluded that such activities are important in protecting the mental and physical health of young people during periods such as closure-restriction.

Cite this article as: Ülker, Ş. G. (2022). Relationship Between COVID-19 Anxiety and Recreational Activity Levels in University Students During COVID-19 Pandemic. Research in Sports Science., 12(1), 1-6.