David O'Hagan 

Project Description

The Impact of Exercise and Procrastination on Self-Esteem.

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of exercise and procrastination levels on self-esteem. The study recruited 356 participants ( 59% female, 38% male 3% other) aged between 18-65 through social media sites. The study employed a quantitative, 3x2 factorial, between-groups design. The participants filled out an online survey including three scales; Rosenbergs Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Scale (Godin & Shepard, 1985), and The Pure Procrastination Scale (Steele, 2010). The survey ended with a debrief and psychological resources that participants could use if they were affected by the study. Data of participants was used for statistical analyses (2-way ANOVA, Tukey, and Pearson's correlations).

Project Findings

The results of the study indicated there was a significant difference in self-esteem scores between the low and high procrastination groups. However, there was no significant difference between the exercise groups (active, moderately active, sedentary) and no significant interaction between exercise and procrastination. Upon further analysis, an independent t-test reported a significant difference between the active and sedentary exercise groups on their self-esteem. The results of the study also indicated there was a significant relationship between exercise, procrastination, and self-esteem.
The findings of the study support the Exercise and Self-Esteem Model (Morgan, 1989) which states that higher levels of exercise lead to higher self-esteem.
The findings of this study are also consistent with those of previous research, reporting that less exercise is associated with lower self-esteem. Moreover, higher levels of procrastination have been linked with lower levels of self-esteem in previous literature