Gender differences in stress, resilience, and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To evaluate gender differences in physical activity (PA), stress and resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: Students ( n  = 300) at a southeastern US university. Methods: Perceived Stress (PSS), Resiliency (BRS), Life Events (LEI), and PA were recorded via online survey in Summer 2020. PSS, BRS, LEI, and PA were compared between males and females. Two-way ANOVAs examined gender and frequency effects on PSS and BRS. Results: Females had lower BRS and higher PSS and LEI scores than males (all p  < .001). PSS/BRS scores were more strongly correlated with PA in males. Significant gender × frequency interactions were found for PSS (vigorous, p  = .03) and for BRS (moderate, p  = .049). There was a significant main effect of frequency for PSS with strength training ( p  < .001). Conclusions: Results suggest that interventions may be particularly needed for females and those with low PA levels.