INFLUENCE OF EXERCISE PARTICIPATION ON THE PERCEIVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND WELL-BEING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of exercise participation on the perceived academic performance and well-being of undergraduate students in the University of Benin. It sought to determine the extent to which exercise participation influences perceived academic performance among students; establish the relationship between exercise participation and perceived academic performance; ascertain if exercise participation and perceived academic performance predict students’ well-being; and relationship between exercise participation and well-being of students. To guide the study, four (4) research questions were raised; one (1) was answered directly and three (3) were hypothesized and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was made up of 41,520 undergraduate students of the University of Benin. A sample size of 400 students were selected from the population using the Taro Yamane formula, due to the large population size. A self-constructed questionnaire was used as the research instrument titled “Influence of Exercise Participation on the Perceived Academic Performance and Well-being of Students Questionnaire (IEPAWSQ)”. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two other experts in the Department of Human Kinetics and Sports Science, Faculty of Education, University of Benin. Cronbach Alpha statistics was used to establish the internal consistency of the items. The reliability of index of 0.89 for the instrument was obtained. Data were analysed using percentages, mean and standard deviation, Pearson correlation statistics and multiple regression statistics. The findings showed that exercise participation positively influence perceived academic performance to a high extent; there was no significant relationship between exercise participation and perceived academic performance of students; there was a significant relationship between the predictors (exercise participation; perceived academic performance) on the well-being of students; and there was a significant relationship between exercise participation and well-being of students. It was concluded that exercise participation influences and has a relationship with perceived academic performance and well-being of undergraduate students. It was chiefly recommended that students should participate in regular exercises as it would impact their academic performance and overall well-being positively.