A Comparative Study of Stress Levels between Athletes and Non-Athletes

Abstract

The present study investigates and compares stress levels between athletes and non-athletes.The sample consisted of 200 participants, including 100 athletes who regularly participate in structured sports activities and 100 non-athletes with no regular physical activity. To examine group differences, a t-test was employed. The results indicated that athletes exhibited a lower mean stress score (M = 21.00, SD = 7.66), whereas non-athletes demonstrated a substantially higher mean score (M = 48.00, SD = 14.54). The t-test revealed a significant difference, t (19.71) = –6.15, p < .001, indicating that non-athletes experience considerably higher stress than athletes. The findings support previous research that highlights the positive psychological benefits of sports participation. The study concludes that regular involvement in sports helps reduce stress and improves coping ability among students.The study highlights the importance of promoting sports participation as a strategy to enhance psychological well-being.