Date of Defense

12-4-2025

Date of Graduation

12-2025

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Scott Gaynor

Second Advisor

Lowell Bouchard

Keywords

college students, depression, anxiety, psychological flexibility, grit, health behaviors, sleep, exercise, diet

Abstract

The present study examined which psychological factors best predicted health behaviors in college students. The psychological factors that were addressed included anxiety, depression, grit, and psychological flexibility. The health behaviors were examined by using a composite variable that included sleep, diet, and exercise. A total of 265 students participated in the study, but only 174 (μ age = 21) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants completed validated self-report measures such as the GAD- 7 (anxiety), PHQ-9 (depression), Short Grit Scale, Psy-Flex-6 (psychological flexibility), as well as health behavior assessments that measured eating behaviors, sleeping, and exercise habits. Correlational analyses indicated that depression (r = -.334, p < .01) and anxiety (r = -.284, p < .01) were negatively associated with health behaviors, while psychological flexibility (r = .157, p < .05) was positively associated. Grit was not statistically significant (r = -.074), indicating no meaningful correlation. Multiple regression analysis revealed that depression was the only significant predictor of health-related behaviors (β = −.243, p = .011), suggesting that higher depressive symptoms were linked to poorer sleep quality, less healthy eating habits, and lower physical activity. These findings display the importance of addressing depressive symptoms in interventions aimed at improving students’ health behaviors. Incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, and university supported mental health programs may enhance both psychological well-being and health related behavior engagement. Future research should include diverse samples, objective behavioral measures, and longitudinal designs to better understand causal relationships between psychological and physical health in college students.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

Additional Files
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