Exercise Participation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Anxiety, Stress, and Precautionary Behavior

Abstract

Understanding emotion is critical, as it influences behavioral responses. In particular, anxiety is one of the most significant factors affecting individuals’ behavior during a pandemic situation. However, the effect of coronavirus anxiety on exercise behaviors has not been extensively explored in the extant literature. Therefore, this study examined the relationships among coronavirus anxiety, stress, precautionary behavior, and exercise participation. A total of 307 responses were collected from individuals who experienced the full length of the circuit breaker in Singapore. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results showed that coronavirus anxiety had positive effects on stress and precautionary behavior. In addition, precautionary behavior played a mediating role in the relationships among coronavirus anxiety, stress, and exercise participation. The findings of this study identify how COVID-19 affected exercise participation during that period and suggest strategies to promote exercise participation, which would benefit individuals and governments.

Keywords

• exercise participation
• anxiety
• stress
• precautionary behavior
• COVID-19