Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, Exercise, and Health in College Students

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have consistently been associated with poorer health in highly traumatized samples. However, less is known about the relationship between PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and health in nonclinical groups. Because exercise contributes to health, we hypothesized that PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms would be related to poorer health status, in part, through their association with lower exercise. We examined this in a sample of 200 undergraduates. Health status variables included functional health and negative health symptoms. Results indicated that greater PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms were associated with poorer health status, and exercise mediated these relationships, in most cases. This study has implications for future research examining the effects of PTSD and depressive symptoms on health.