Mental Health: Benefits of Exercise and Strategies for Coping with Stress

    OCR
    GCSE

    Candidates must analyse the physiological and psychological impact of physical activity on mental health, specifically the regulation of cortisol and the release of serotonin and endorphins. Responses must distinguish between somatic stress management techniques, such as deep breathing and biofeedback, and cognitive strategies, including mental rehearsal and positive self-talk. Evaluation of these strategies requires application to specific competitive scenarios, assessing their efficacy in controlling arousal levels and mitigating anxiety.

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    Objectives
    3
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award AO1 marks for correctly identifying 'serotonin' as the specific hormone released during exercise that improves mood, rather than generic phrases like 'makes you feel happy'.
    • Credit responses that classify benefits accurately: 'aesthetic appreciation' and 'increased self-esteem' must be categorized as Emotional Health, not Social Health.
    • For stress management (AO2), candidates must apply 'mental rehearsal' or 'imagery' to closed skills (e.g., a penalty kick) to demonstrate blocking out distractions.
    • Award AO3 marks for evaluating the effectiveness of 'deep breathing' as a somatic technique to lower heart rate immediately prior to fine motor skill execution (e.g., archery release).

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have listed 'feeling good' as a benefit; strictly use the term 'release of serotonin' to secure the AO1 mark."
    • "Your application of 'mental rehearsal' is valid, but you must explicitly state it is a cognitive technique used to control arousal levels."
    • "Differentiate clearly between 'aesthetic appreciation' (emotional) and 'friendship' (social); you are currently conflating these categories."
    • "To improve your evaluation, explain *why* deep breathing helps a golfer specifically (lowering heart rate for fine motor control) rather than just saying it 'calms them down'."

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award AO1 marks for correctly identifying 'serotonin' as the specific hormone released during exercise that improves mood, rather than generic phrases like 'makes you feel happy'.
    • Credit responses that classify benefits accurately: 'aesthetic appreciation' and 'increased self-esteem' must be categorized as Emotional Health, not Social Health.
    • For stress management (AO2), candidates must apply 'mental rehearsal' or 'imagery' to closed skills (e.g., a penalty kick) to demonstrate blocking out distractions.
    • Award AO3 marks for evaluating the effectiveness of 'deep breathing' as a somatic technique to lower heart rate immediately prior to fine motor skill execution (e.g., archery release).

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡When asked for benefits of exercise, use the mnemonic 'PES' (Physical, Emotional, Social) to ensure you select a benefit from the correct category required by the question.
    • 💡Do not just list 'deep breathing'; explain the physiological mechanism (increases oxygen supply, lowers heart rate) to access higher mark bands.
    • 💡In 6-mark extended responses, justify your choice of stress strategy by contrasting it with an inappropriate one (e.g., 'Positive self-talk is more effective here than deep breathing because the athlete needs to maintain high arousal for the sprint start').

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Confusing 'Social Health' benefits (cooperation, teamwork) with 'Emotional Health' benefits (stress relief, confidence).
    • Describing mental rehearsal as simply 'thinking about the game' rather than the specific cognitive process of visualizing successful performance to reduce anxiety.
    • Failing to link the stress management technique to the specific demands of the sport (e.g., recommending deep breathing for a rugby tackle where high arousal is actually beneficial).

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Physiological Mechanisms (Endorphins, Serotonin, Cortisol)
    Somatic vs Cognitive Stress Management Strategies
    Social and Emotional Well-being (Self-esteem, Aesthetic Appreciation)

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Apply
    Evaluate

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