THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAM ON TRAIT ANXIETY AND LIFE SATISFACTION LEVELS OF ADULTS.

Aim. This study aims to examine the effect of physical activity program on the trait anxiety and life satisfaction levels of adults. Method. This study was designed in quasi-experimental way with pretest-posttest control group. The sample of study consists of 160 sedentary adults (control group: 80, experimental group: 80) aged between 18 and 36 years in Konya Province with convenience sampling method from purposeful sampling methods. The participants in the experimental group were applied a physical activity program including warm-up movements, fitness, pilates, step, fit dance, street dance and stretching-cooling exercises for 3 days and 2 hours per week for 12 weeks. Data were obtained by using "Trait Anxiety Inventory" developed by Spielberger and adapted to Turkish by Öner and Le Compre (1983), and "Life Satisfaction Scale" developed by Diener, Emmons, Larsem and Griffon (1985) and adapted to Turkish by Köker (1991) before and after the 12 week physical activity program. SPSS 22 Package Program was used for the analysis of the obtained data. Since the data showed normal distribution, Independent Sample t-test was used to determine the intergroup difference and Paired Sample t test was used to determine intragroup differences. The effect size was calculated by Cohen "d". Results. According to the findings of the research, it was determined that compared to the pre-activity situation, there is a significant decrease in the levels of trait anxiety of the adults in the experimental group participating in the physical activity program (t99: 3.99, p = 0.0002 <0.05). The effect size between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of scores they received from the trait anxiety inventory (significant effect at a small level) was found to be 0.26. However, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the trait anxiety level pre-test and posttest scores of adults in the control group who didn't participate in the physical activity program. Another finding of the research is that there is a significant difference between the pretest and posttest mean score of the scores that the participants in the experimental group received from the Life Satisfaction Scale (T79: 3.189, p = 0.002 <0.05). It was figured out that there is no significant difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the scores that the control group received from the Life Satisfaction Scale (t79: .966, p = 0.336> 0.05). When considered the effect sizes; while the effect size between pre-test and post-test mean scores of the scores that participants in the experimental group received from Life Satisfaction Scale was 0.41, the effect size between pretest and post-test mean scores of the scores that control group received from Life Satisfaction Scale was found to be 0.06 (meaningless effect). Conclusion. As a result, it can be said that the physical activity program applied to adults reduces their trait anxiety levels and affects their life satisfaction levels positively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]