ABSTRACT

Academic stress is highly prevalent among college students and can negatively affect cognitive performance, including reaction time. Cognitive motor exercises (CME), which integrate simultaneous cognitive and motor tasks, may offer combined psychological and cognitive benefits. This study aimed to determine the impact of cognitive motor exercises on academic stress and simple reaction time (SRT) in college-going students. A randomized controlled experimental design was used. Participants aged 18–25 years were allocated into an experimental group (CME) and a control group (general exercise). The intervention was conducted for four weeks, three sessions per week. Academic stress was assessed using the Student Stress Inventory (SSI), and simple reaction time was measured using a computerized reaction time assessment tool. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were performed. Statistical analysis included within-group and between-group comparisons. The experimental group demonstrated a highly significant reduction in stress levels (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in simple reaction time (p = 0.005) following the intervention. The control group showed a statistically significant reduction in stress (p = 0.003) but no significant improvement in reaction time (p = 0.118). Between-group comparison revealedsignificantly greater stress reduction in the CME group (p < 0.001), while reaction time differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.148). Cognitive motor exercises were more effective than general exercise in reducing academic stress and showed potential to improve cognitive responsiveness in college students. Keywords: Cognitive motor exercise, Academic stress, Simple reaction time, College students, Dual-task training
Publication date: 2026/10/01

https://www.ijbpas.com/pdf/2026/October/MS_IJBPAS_2026_10538.pdf

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doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2026/15.10.10538