The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between wellness center use and depressive symptoms to increase understanding of how campus recreation affects first-year college students’ mental health. A total of 172 first-year college students at a midsize university completed an in-person questionnaire. Based on their Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) scores, 54% of the students reported some depressive symptoms. A series chi-square analysis indicated: (1) female students tended to report a higher depressive symptom score than male students; (2) freshmen who use the wellness center more often or who go to the center with a friend reported less severe depressive symptoms, and (3) students who have participated in open recreation or intramural sports also reported fewer depressive symptoms than students who never participated in these activities. Our findings showed the importance of social interaction in college freshmen’s recreation participation to reduce depressive symptoms.
ArtingerL.ClaphamL.HuntC.MeigsM.MilordN.SampsonB.ForresterS. A. (2006). The social benefits of intramural sports. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 43(1), 69–86. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.1572
2.
BabissL. A.GangwischJ. E. (2009). Sports participation as a protective factor against depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents as mediated by self-esteem and social support. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 30(5), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181b33659
3.
BarbourE. K.SmallwoodS. W.HurtY. (2021). Examining social activity, need to belong, and depression among college students. Journal of American College Health, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1967357
4.
BeiterR.NashR.McCradyM.RhoadesD.LinscombM.ClarahanM.SammutS. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054
5.
BelchH. A.GebelM.MaasG. M. (2001). Relationship between student recreation complex use, academic performance, and persistence of first-time freshmen. NASPA Journal, 38(2), 254–268. https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.1138
6.
BoujutE.Bruchon-SchweitzerM. (2009). A construction and validation of a freshman stress questionnaire: An exploratory study. Psychological Reports, 104(2), 680–692. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.104.2.680-692
7.
BrandyJ. M.PenckoferS.Solari-TwadellP. A.Velsor-FriedrichB. (2015). Factors predictive of depression in first-year college students. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 53(2), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20150126-03
8.
ChuT. L. A.ZhangT.LiH. (2019). Roles of physical activity type in exercise motivational profiles and behavioral frequencies among college freshmen. American Journal of Health Studies, 34(2), 57–68.
DalgarnM. K. (2001). The role of the campus recreation center in creating a community. Recreational Sports Journal, 25(1), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.1123/nirsa.25.1.66
ElliotC. E.KennedyC.MorganG.AndersonS. K.MorrisD. (2012). Undergraduate physical activity and depressive symptoms: A national study. American Journal of Health Behavior, 36(2), 230–241. https://doi.org/10.5993/AJHB.36.2.8
13.
FengQ.ZhangQ. L.DuY.YeY. L.HeQ. Q. (2014). Associations of physical activity, screen time with depression, anxiety and sleep quality among Chinese college freshmen. PloS one, 9(6), e100914. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100914
14.
ForresterS. (2006). An examination of the factors contributing to student satisfaction with their overall academic experience. A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 21(1), 21–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2006.11949563
FurrS. R.WestefeldJ. S.McConnellG. N.JenkinsJ. M. (2001). Suicide and depression among college students: A decade later. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(1), 97–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.1.97
17.
GadzellaB. M. (1994). Student-life stress inventory: Identification of and reactions to stressors. Psychological Reports, 74(2), 395–402. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1994.74.2.395
18.
GoodwinR. D. (2003). Association between physical activity and mental disorders among adults in the United States. Preventive Medicine, 36(6), 698–703. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0091-7435(03)00042-2
19.
HenchyA. (2013). The perceived benefits of participating in campus recreation programs and facilities: A comparison between undergraduate and graduate students. Recreational Sports Journal, 37(2), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.37.2.97
20.
IbrahimA. K.KellyS. J.AdamsC. E.GlazebrookC. (2013). A systematic review of studies of depression prevalence in university students. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 47(3), 391–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.015
21.
KohnP. M.LafreniereK.GurevichM. (1990). The inventory of college students’ recent life experiences: A decontaminated hassles scale for a special population. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 13(6), 619–630. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844738
22.
KroenkeK.SpitzerR. L.WilliamsJ. B. (2001). The PHQ–9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x
23.
KroenkeK.StrineT. W.SpitzerR. L.WilliamsJ. B.BerryJ. T.MokdadA. H. (2009). The PHQ-8 as a measure of current depression in the general population. Journal of Affective Disorders, 114(1–3), 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2008.06.026
24.
LeinoE. V.KischJ. (2005). Correlates and predictors of depression in college students: Results from the spring 2000 national college health assessment. American Journal of Health Education, 36(2), 66–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2005.10608162
25.
LowerL. M.TurnerB. A.PetersenJ. C. (2013). A comparative analysis of perceived benefits of participation between recreational sport programs. Recreational Sports Journal, 37(1), 66–83. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.37.1.66
26.
MarthoenisM.MeutiaI.FathiarianiL.SofyanH. (2018). Prevalence of depression and anxiety among college students living in a disaster-prone region. Alexandria Journal of Medicine, 54(4), 337–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajme.2018.07.002
27.
MartinsenE. W. (2008). Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 62(sup47), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039480802315640
28.
MillerJ. J. (2011). Impact of a university recreation center on social belonging and student retention. Recreational Sports Journal, 35(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.35.2.117
29.
Stier JrW. F.SchneiderR. C.KampfS.WildingG. E.HainesS. (2005). The financial and facility status of campus recreation programs at NIRSA colleges and universities. Recreational Sports Journal, 29(2), 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.29.2.127
30.
TaylorH.CanningW. F.BrailsfordP.RokoszF. (2003). Financial issues in campus recreation. New Directions for Student Services, 103(103), 73–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.100
31.
WellsT. S.HortonJ. L.LeardMannC. A.JacobsonI. G.BoykoE. J. (2013). A comparison of the PRIME-Md PHQ-9 and PHQ-8 in a large military prospective study, the Millennium Cohort Study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 148(1), 77–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.052
32.
Wu, Y., Levis, B., Riehm, K. E., Saadat, N., Levis, A. W., Azar, M., Rice, D. B., Boruff, J., Cuijpers, P., Gilbody, S., Ioannidis, J., Kloda, L. A., McMillan, D., Patten, S. B., Shrier, I., Ziegelstein, R. C., Akena, D. H., Arroll, B., Ayalon, L., … Thombs, B. D. (2020). Equivalency of the diagnostic accuracy of the PHQ-8 and PHQ-9: A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 50(8), 1368–1380. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291719001314
