scholarly journals Manipulating Self-Avatar Body Dimensions in Virtual Worlds to Complement an Internet-Delivered Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Overweight Women

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4045
Author(s):  
Jessica Navarro ◽  
Ausiàs Cebolla ◽  
Roberto Llorens ◽  
Adrián Borrego ◽  
Rosa M. Baños
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Online Intervention ◽  
The Body ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Body Dimensions ◽  
Overweight Women ◽  
Efficacy Expectations ◽  
Relevant Variables

Virtual reality has been found to be a useful tool for positively influencing relevant psychological variables in order to increase physical activity (PA), especially in the overweight population. This study investigates the use of avatars and their physical variations to extend the effectiveness of existing interventions to promote PA. The main objective is to analyze the influence of the avatars’ body dimensions on the efficacy of an Internet intervention to increase PA levels and improve other relevant variables (motivation toward PA, enjoyment, anxiety, self-efficacy, and PA goals). A total of 42 overweight women received a brief online intervention, and they were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: the “Ideal avatar” (IAC: participants are represented by avatars with ideal body dimensions); the “Real avatar” (RAC: participants are represented by avatars with participants’ current body dimensions); and the “Non avatar” (NAC: participants are not represented by avatars). Results showed that the online intervention was effective in increasing PA practice and self-efficacy expectations. However, manipulating the body dimensions of avatars did not improve this intervention, although ideal avatars helped to reduce the anxiety experienced during PA in this population.

Effects of Self-Efficacy, Body Mass, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Exercise Motives in Chinese College Students

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 706-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Shen ◽  
Chiren Xu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
The Body ◽  
Biological Entity ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Fitness Level ◽  
Exercise Motives

Background:Researchers have studied exercise determinants primarily from cognitive and social psychology perspectives, which typically give minimal attention to the body as a physical and biological entity. With the belief that tapping into multidimensional variables would potentially help us better understand motivation in exercise, we designed this study to examine the influences of self-efficacy, body mass, and cardiorespiratory fitness level on Chinese college students’ leisure-time exercise motives.Methods:208 college students completed measures of self-efficacy and exercise motives during regular physical education classes. Their body mass and cardiorespiratory fitness level data were derived from the latest annual physical training test. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of self-efficacy, body mass, and cardiorespiratory fitness on exercise motives.Results:Cardiorespiratory fitness level and self-efficacy in exercise significantly contributed to both psychological and interpersonal motives. Body mass was the only significant predictor for body-related motives. However, analyses of health and fitness motives did not result in any significant predictors.Conclusion:Physical and psychological variables have both independent and specialized functions on exercise motives. Future motivational studies in exercise should pay greater attention to ecological approaches that account for physical, psychological, and social factors.

scholarly journals Is Fun For Wellness Engaging? Evaluation of User Experience of an Online Intervention to Promote Well-Being and Physical Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Scarpa ◽  
Isaac Prilletensky ◽  
Adam McMahon ◽  
Nicholas D. Myers ◽  
Ora Prilleltensky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
User Experience ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Online Intervention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Interactive Nature

Online well-being interventions demonstrate great promise in terms of both engagement and outcomes. Fun For Wellness (FFW) is a novel online intervention grounded in self-efficacy theory and intended to improve multidimensional well-being and physical activity through multi-modal methods. These strategies include capability-enhancing opportunities, learning experiences such as games, video vignettes, and self-assessments. RCT studies have suggested that FFW is efficacious in improving subjective and domain-specific well-being, and effective in improving mental health, physical health, physical activity, and self-efficacy in United States. adults who are overweight and in the general population. The present study uses qualitative and quantitative user experience data collected during two RCT trials to understand and evaluate engagement with FFW, its drivers, and its outcomes. Results suggest that FFW is enjoyable, moderately engaging, and easy to use; and contributes to positive outcomes including skill development and enhanced confidence, for both overweight individuals and the general adult population. Drivers of engagement appear to include rewards, gamification, scenario-based learning, visual tracking for self-monitoring, ease of use and simple communications, and the entertaining, interactive nature of program activities. Findings indicate that there are opportunities to streamline and simplify the experience. These results can help improve FFW and contribute to the science of engagement with online interventions designed to improve well-being.

scholarly journals The impact of physical fitness on resilience to modern life stress and the mediating role of general self-efficacy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Neumann ◽  
K. F. Ahrens ◽  
B. Kollmann ◽  
N. Goldbach ◽  
A. Chmitorz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Modern Life ◽  
Muscular Fitness ◽  
Stress Resilience ◽  
Efficacy Expectations ◽  
General Self Efficacy

AbstractSubstantial evidence shows that physical activity and fitness play a protective role in the development of stress related disorders. However, the beneficial effects of fitness for resilience to modern life stress are not fully understood. Potentially protective effects may be attributed to enhanced resilience via underlying psychosocial mechanisms such as self-efficacy expectations. This study investigated whether physical activity and fitness contribute to prospectively measured resilience and examined the mediating effect of general self-efficacy. 431 initially healthy adults participated in fitness assessments as part of a longitudinal-prospective study, designed to identify mechanisms of resilience. Self-efficacy and habitual activity were assessed in parallel to cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, which were determined by a submaximal step-test, hand strength and standing long jump test. Resilience was indexed by stressor reactivity: mental health problems in relation to reported life events and daily hassles, monitored quarterly for nine months. Hierarchical linear regression models and bootstrapped mediation analyses were applied. We could show that muscular and self-perceived fitness were positively associated with stress resilience. Extending this finding, the muscular fitness–resilience relationship was partly mediated by self-efficacy expectations. In this context, self-efficacy expectations may act as one underlying psychological mechanism, with complementary benefits for the promotion of mental health. While physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness did not predict resilience prospectively, we found muscular and self-perceived fitness to be significant prognostic parameters for stress resilience. Although there is still more need to identify specific fitness parameters in light of stress resilience, our study underscores the general relevance of fitness for stress-related disorders prevention.

The role of exercise self-efficacy, perceived exertion, event-related stress, and demographic factors in predicting physical activity among college freshmen

2010 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Brannagan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
College Freshmen ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Exercise Programme ◽  
The Body ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: The focus of this study was to examine the relationship among precursors to physical activity, including exercise self-efficacy, perceived exertion, stress, and demographic factors, among college students. Design: This study employed an associational design. Setting: The study population was college freshmen in southeast Louisiana who were between the ages of 18 and 24 years. Method: A path analysis was used to examine the strength and directional relationship among variables depicted in Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) and to determine the structure of the relationships among the variables in the conceptual map. Path coefficients were used to determine whether the independent variables (exercise self-efficacy, stress, perceived exertion, demographic factors) as depicted in the path diagram made a unique contribution to predicting physical activity (dependent variable) or if the relationships between stress, perceived exertion, and physical activity, are mediated by exercise self-efficacy. Results: Study results portrayed a relationship between perceived exertion and exercise self-efficacy and a relationship between a person’s belief in their ability to stick to an exercise programme (self-efficacy) and their level of activity. Compared to their counterparts, this study’s population had lower levels of usual physical activity, but heightened levels of physical activity immediately following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Conclusion: This study adds to the body of knowledge related to predictors of physical activity and the applicability of Pender’s HPM to such studies. The study also provides insight into the impact of a natural disaster on physical activity.

scholarly journals Intervención psicológica para el aumento motivacional hacia la actividad física y la pérdida de peso/Psychological Intervention for Increased Motivation Towards Physical Activity and Weight Loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-188
Author(s):  
David Peris-Delcampo ◽  
Enrique Cantón
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Healthy Habits ◽  
Methodological Triangulation ◽  
Good Nutrition ◽  
Bienestar Psicologico

EspañolSe presenta un estudio de caso con una joven de 22 años (estudiante y entrenadora de baloncesto) que quería motivarse para perder peso y desarrollar hábitos saludables (buena alimentación y ejercicio físico regular). Se utilizó el modelo “La Jirafa de Cantón” como base de la intervención que consta de cuatro partes bien diferenciadas que son: la “cabeza” o meta; el “cuello” o las expectativas x valor; el “cuerpo” o la autoestima, autoeficacia y autoconcepto; y las “patas” de la base que se refieren a las cuatro vías de obtención de información (experiencia directa, experiencia indirecta, persuasión verbal y síntomas psicofisiológicos). El análisis de datos tanto cuantitativos como cualitativos se realizó mediante triangulación metodológica, midiendo en la participante las partes del modelo de la Jirafa de Cantón de manera cualitativa, y cuantitativamente el bienestar psicológico y la autoeficacia. Los resultados muestran una mejora de las variables motivacionales relacionadas con las partes del modelo, en consonancia con la mejora de las puntuaciones cuantitativas de bienestar psicológico y autoeficacia. También se observó un aumento y mantenimiento de hábitos saludables de nutrición, actividad física y pensamientos adecuados. Estos resultados están en la línea de los obtenidos en estudios anteriores similares.EnglishA case study is presented with a 22-year-old female (student and basketball coach) who wanted to motivate herself to lose weight and develop healthy habits (good nutrition and regular physical exercise). The “Cantón’s Giraffe”model was used as the basis of the intervention, which consists of four well-differentiated parts that are: the “head” or goal; the “neck” or expectations x value; the “body” or self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-concept; and the base“legs” that refer to the four ways of obtaining information (direct experience, indirect experience, verbal persuasion and psychophysiological symptoms). The analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data was carried out through methodological triangulation, measuring the parts of the Cantón’s Giraffe model qualitatively in the participant, and quantitatively for psychological well-being and self-efficacy. The results show an improvement in the motivational variables related to the parts of the model, in line with the improvement in the quantitative scores for psychological well-being and self-efficacy. There was also an increase and maintenance of healthy habits of nutrition, physical activity and proper thinking. These results are in line with those obtained in previous similar studies.

An online intervention to increase physical activity: Self-regulatory possible selves and the moderating role of task self-efficacy

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 158-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaelyn M. Strachan ◽  
Meghan M.E. Marcotte ◽  
Tara M.T. Giller ◽  
Jennifer Brunet ◽  
Benjamin J.I. Schellenberg
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Possible Selves ◽  
Online Intervention ◽  
Moderating Role

Inflated Perceptions of Physical Activity After Stroke: Pairing Self-Report With Physiologic Measures

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Resnick ◽  
Kathleen Michael ◽  
Marianne Shaughnessy ◽  
Eun Shim Nahm ◽  
Susan Kopunek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Activity Monitors ◽  
Behavioral Variables ◽  
Efficacy Expectations ◽  
Treadmill Testing ◽  
And Performance

Background:Self-report measures of physical activity have well-known drawbacks, and physiologic measures alone do not account for behavioral variables important in the perception and performance of physical activity. Therefore, we considered multiple measures to quantify physical activity in community-dwelling men and women with chronic stroke.Methods:This analysis included data from a volunteer sample of 87 individuals at least 6 months poststroke. Physical activity was measured using self-report questionnaires, step activity monitors, self-efficacy expectations related to exercise, and VO2peak from treadmill testing, and a model of physical activity was tested.Results:Most of the variance in objective physical activity was explained by VO2peak, and most of the variance in subjective physical activity was explained by self-efficacy expectations. There were significant discrepancies between subjective and objective findings.Conclusion:This study helps to understand the perspective of stroke survivors with regard to physical activity.

scholarly journals Sociodemographic and psychological variables, physical activity and quality of life in elderly at Unati Campinas, São Paulo

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valéria Melo Claudino Alves ◽  
Vinícius Nagy Soares ◽  
Daniel Vicentini de Oliveira ◽  
Paula Teixeira Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Activity Level ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
The Self ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Psychological Domain

Abstract Introduction: Although previous studies have characterized the sociodemographic profile and physical activity level of older people at the Universities of the Third Age (Unati - Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade), there are research gaps regarding the relationship of these variables with the psychological aspects and the quality of life. Objective: To assess the relationship between sociodemographic and psychological variables, physical activity level and quality of life (QoL) in older people at Unati in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional study that recruited 116 older participants of both gender, aged between 60 and 89 years. They were submitted to the following tests: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Wagnild & Young’s Resilience Scale (RS), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the WHOQOL BREF, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ20) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, t- and Mann-Whitney U tests, as well as the generalized linear models. Results: Self-esteem was associated with age, income, schooling level, membership time, and the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.05). Resilience was associated with the schooling level and the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.05), and the self-efficacy with the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. Common mental disorders were related to the physical and psychological domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, as well as the self-efficacy and being male. The physical activity level showed no correlation with the psychological aspects and the sociodemographic variables studied (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The sociodemographic variables influence emotional aspects, particularly older people’s self-esteem and resilience at Unati. Additionally, the psychological domain of the WHOQOL-BREF was a predictor of all the emotional variables in this sample.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document