PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS FROM POLAND AND BELARUS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: REFLECTIONS ON THE PURPOSE OF A RESEARCH PROJECT

Abstract

Knowledge of the medical-psychological and socio-cultural determinants of physical activity (PA) and mental health is still unsatisfactory. A dominance of diagnostic over explanatory studies and a focus on the association of PA and mental health status with unmodified demographic variables characterizes most research in this area. The aim of the proposed project is to determine PA levels and psychological adaptation to stress among students from Poland and Belarus in the context of different anti-pandemic strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. John Paul II University of Applied Sciences in Biala Podlaska (Poland) and Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (Belarus) were chosen for the study, as despite the universities being located a relatively small distance from each other, they are in different countries and subject to different anti-pandemic strategies. The proposed survey will include approximately 800 medical and health sciences students (approximately 400 from each university). Nine standardized survey instruments will be used: IPAQ-SF, MBI, SWLS, CECS, GSES, Mini-COPE, STAI, TSK, and GHQ-28. The outcome of the research will be the identification of the medical-psychological and socio-cultural determinants that influence psychological adaptation and PA levels of students experiencing different anti-pandemic strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.