scholarly journals Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What Can Exercise Do For You?

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Shamus ◽  
Gillian Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Aerobic Exercise ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Anaerobic Exercise ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature to examine the effects of various forms of physical activity upon mental health. A literature review was conducted to examine specific findings of the relationship between exercise (aerobic and anaerobic) and psychological well being. It was found that aerobic exercise performed at a moderate intensity produces significantly greater positive psychological outcomes than does either high intensity aerobic exercise or anaerobic exercise. Additionally, no specific differences were discovered between various methods of aerobic exercise as long as it is conducted for over 20 minutes continuously. Low impact aerobic exercise, such as yoga or meditation was also found to have positive effects on mental health. Various mechanisms underlying the mood boosting effects of exercise are also briefly examined.

scholarly journals The relationship between physical activity and mental health varies across activity intensity levels and dimensions of mental health among women and men

2009 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1207-1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda Asztalos ◽  
Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij ◽  
Greet Cardon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
General Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Secondary Analyses ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractObjectiveTo explore gender-specific variations related to activity intensity in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health (MH). Evaluating whether psychological well-being enhances with increases in PA at recommended levels and above, in the general population.DesignCross-sectional.SettingPopulation-based, representative for Belgium.SubjectsA total of 6803 adults aged 25–64 years from the Belgian National Health Interview Survey.ResultsMultiple logistic regression analyses showed that clearly different intensity levels characterised the PA that associated with MH in women and men. In men, inverse associations existed between participation in vigorous-intensity PA and feelings of depression (OR = 0·580; 95 % CI 0·405, 0·830), anxiety (OR = 0·547; 95 % CI 0·364, 0·821) and symptoms of somatisation (OR = 0·590; 95 % CI 0·398, 0·874). In women, positive associations existed between walking and emotional well-being (OR = 1·202; 95 % CI 1·038, 1·394) and inverse associations between participation in moderate-intensity PA and symptoms of somatisation (OR = 0·737; 95 % CI 0·556, 0·977). Secondary analyses confirmed that differences in psychological complaints were significant for vigorous PA in men, and for moderate PA in women, whereas differences in emotional well-being were significant for walking exclusively in women.ConclusionsIn the general population, the PA–MH relationship is always positive, regardless of activity intensity. In men, it addresses complaints (symptoms, palpable discomfort) and the optimal PA intensity is high. In women, it addresses complaints, but also distress (lowered mood, disturbing anxiety, altered well-being) and the PA intensity is mild.

Imaging Journeys of Recovery and Learning: A Participatory Arts-Based Inquiry

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 833-845
Author(s):  
Briege Casey ◽  
Margaret Webb
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Mental Health Recovery ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
Participatory Arts ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between processes of mental health recovery and lifelong learning is an area of increasing international interest. Experiences of transformation, positive effects on self-esteem, self-insight, and empowerment have been identified regarding both endeavors. Recognition of these benefits has stimulated collaborative development of educational programs in personal development, self-efficacy, and recovery principles. The importance of evaluating this educational provision has been emphasized; however, there has been little detailed exploration of students’ experiences and perceptions of recovery and learning in the context of recovery education programs. In this article, we present a participatory arts-based inquiry with 14 women, including mental health service users, who undertook a recovery training program to support their roles as mental health support workers in Ireland. Participatory visual analysis revealed three recurring themes; the interrelatedness of learning and recovery journeys, knowledge as a source of stability and rescue and the need for resilience in learning and recovery.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Health, and Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-70
Author(s):  
Kristine Klussman ◽  
Julia Langer ◽  
Austin Lee Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Activity Intensity ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract. Background: Most people are comfortable asserting the beneficial effects of physical exercise on mental health and well-being. However, little research has examined how different types of physical activity affect these outcomes. Aims: The current study sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of the differential relationships between different types of physical activity and various aspects of health and well-being. In addition, we sought to understand the role of self-connection in these relationships. Method: One hundred forty-three participants completed a questionnaire designed to measure their current weekly activity as well as their current health and well-being. Specifically, we examined three intensities of activity (walking, moderate, and vigorous) and three types of activity (team-based, community-based, and not team nor community-based) on self-reported health, anxiety, depression, affect, flourishing, job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and meaning in life. In addition, we examined self-connection as a possible moderator of these relationships. Results: Results suggested that physical activity was inconsistently related to health and well-being, and activity intensity and type were important to understanding these relationships. In contrast, self-connection reliably related to health and well-being and moderated the relationship between activity type and the presence of meaning. Limitations: The cross-sectional, self-report nature of the study limits its contribution. In addition, we only examined a subset of all physical activities that people engage in. Conclusion: In all, results suggest that the relationships between physical activity, mental health, and well-being are tenuous, at best. Future research needs to examine these relationships further and continue to examine self-connection to determine how to best increase health and well-being through physical activity.

scholarly journals Associations between fitness, physical activity and mental health in a community sample of young British adolescents: baseline data from the Fit to Study trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e000819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Wheatley ◽  
Thomas Wassenaar ◽  
Piergiorgio Salvan ◽  
Nick Beale ◽  
Thomas Nichols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Canonical Correlation ◽  
Psychosocial Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Study Trial ◽  
School Level ◽  
Activity Measurement ◽  
Internalising Problems

ObjectivesTo examine relationships between fitness, physical activity and psychosocial problems among English secondary school pupils and to explore how components of physically active lifestyles are associated with mental health and well-being.MethodsA total of 7385 participants aged 11–13 took a fitness test and completed self-reported measures of physical activity, attitudes to activity, psychosocial problems and self-esteem during the Fit to Study trial. Multilevel regression, which modelled school-level cluster effects, estimated relationships between activity, fitness and psychosocial problems; canonical correlation analysis (CCA) explored modes of covariation between active lifestyle and mental health variables. Models were adjusted for covariates of sex, free school meal status, age, and time and location of assessments.ResultsHigher fitness was linked with fewer internalising problems (β=−0.23; 95% CI −0.26 to −0.21; p<0.001). More activity was also related to fewer internalising symptoms (β=−0.24; 95% CI −0.27 to −0.20; p<0.001); the relationship between activity and internalising problems was significantly stronger for boys than for girls. Fitness and activity were also favourably related to externalising symptoms, with smaller effect sizes. One significant CCA mode, with a canonical correlation of 0.52 (p=0.001), was characterised high cross-loadings for positive attitudes to activity (0.46) and habitual activity (0.42) among lifestyle variables; and for physical and global self-esteem (0.47 and 0.42) among mental health variables.ConclusionModel-based and data-driven analysis methods indicate fitness as well as physical activity are linked to adolescent mental health. If effect direction is established, fitness monitoring could complement physical activity measurement when tracking public health.

Moderation Effects of Substance Use on Physical and Mental Well-Being in Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 107839032110520
Author(s):  
Mercy Ngosa Mumba ◽  
Alexandria Nancarrow ◽  
Jessica L. Jaiswal ◽  
Erika Hocchaus ◽  
Madelyn H. Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
The Relationship

BACKGROUND: Each year about one in five adults experiences mental illness. Although the independent physical and mental health consequences of alcohol misuse and cigarette smoking are well documented, little is known on how substance use moderates the relationship between physical and mental well-being. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether substance use moderates the relationship between physical activity and mental health in adults. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data provided by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). RESULTS: Participants ( N = 450,016) were adults who completed the BRFSS in 2017. Those who did not drink alcohol had fewer mental health problems when they indicated greater amounts of time spent doing physical activities each week. Last, smokers’ number of mental health problems decreased as they engaged in more physical activity, whereas nonsmokers’ number of mental health problems increased as they engaged in more physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between physical activity and mental health outcomes is well established and cannot be overemphasized. Nonetheless, substance abuse can moderate this relationship and should be routinely screened for by health care providers regardless of treatment setting.

scholarly journals Multiple Identities, Acculturation and Adaptation of Russians in Latvia and Georgia

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-64
Author(s):  
T.A. Ryabichenko ◽  
N.M. Lebedeva ◽  
I.D. Plotka
Keyword(s):  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Psychological Adaptation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Place Identity ◽  
Multiple Identities ◽  
Acculturation Strategies ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Relationship

The article presents the results of a comparative study examining the relationship between different types of social identity (ethnic, national, and place identity), acculturation strategies (assimilation, integration), and psychological adaptation (satisfaction with life and self-esteem) of Russians in two sociocultural contexts: Latvia and Georgia. Participants were 320 Russians in Latvia (M = 42,89; SD = 21,19), and 312 Russians in Georgia (M = 31,11; SD = 11,67). Path analysis was used to test the relationships. The results showed that national and place identities related to integration in both countries. Direct effects of place identity on psychological well-being are universal for the studied countries, while relationships of national and ethnic identities with well-being are context specific. Indirect positive effects of national and place identities on self-esteem through integration are universal in Latvia and Georgia.

Nutrition, lifestyle factors, and mental health in adolescents and young adults living in Austria

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Walther ◽  
Ulrike Aldrian ◽  
Hans Peter Stüger ◽  
Ingrid Kiefer ◽  
Cem Ekmekcioglu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Positive Effects

Abstract Background: Due to an alarming trend of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, along with the sparse data on dietary habits and lifestyle factors, the present study aims to analyze the current nutritional behavior as well as the lifestyle and mental health of adolescents and young adults living in Austria. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 500 respondents (aged between 14 and 24 years) completed an anonymous questionnaire on nutrition behavior, mental health, and lifestyle factors by Internet survey. Results: Only 50% of the participants ate breakfast daily and 10% did not eat breakfast at all. About 47% of the respondents consumed milk and milk products daily. Furthermore, only 31% ate fruit and 21% ate vegetables at least once a day, and 46% ate fish seldom or never. Nearly 28% of young people liked to eat fast food twice or thrice a week and more, with males more often replacing a meal with a fast food product (36%) than females (21%). About 46% of the respondents engaged in physical activity only once a week (or more rarely). A fifth of our respondents (23%) spent more than 2 h a day using various social networks, with Facebook being the most popular social network among the respondents. Around 27% claimed to be smokers, with more female (33%) than male (20%) smoker. In terms of sleeping habits, 19% slept <6 h a day. Regarding well-being, 44% were more likely to feel stressed, 35% stated that they were tense, and 43% felt tired and listless. Eating together, physical activity, and sleep patterns showed positive effects on well-being, whereas higher consumption of fast food/snacks/soft drinks and alcoholic drinks/energy drinks was associated with relatively lower well-being. Conclusions: Unhealthy eating habits, suboptimal physical activity, and smoking are still prominent in a sample of Austrian adolescents and young people. In addition, stress and tiredness are also relevant problems in this collective.

Self-Esteem and Individual Well-Being

2018 ◽  
pp. 91-112
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Mruk
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Human Values ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Sense Of Purpose ◽  
Intrinsic Values ◽  
The Relationship

Chapter 5 focuses on understanding the connection between self-esteem and positive psychology. It begins by looking at self-esteem in relation to two theories of mental health and then moves on to explore research concerning two forms of happiness, namely, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. The chapter also highlights the relationship between self-esteem and basic human values that positive psychologists have associated with the good life in an Aristotelian sense. This material includes appreciating the importance of identifying one’s own intrinsic values concerning such things as wisdom, compassion, balance, beauty, courage, and more. Special attention is given to the idea that making these types of values a greater part of one’s life may increase a sense of purpose and meaning or well-being. Practical suggestions and activities round out this chapter to make its concepts more useful.

Physical Activity, Self-Esteem, and Mental Health in Students from Ethnic Minorities Attending Colleges in China

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yahong Li ◽  
Zhipeng Xu ◽  
Shunzhong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
International Physical Activity Questionnaire ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Moderate Intensity Activity ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Activity Questionnaire

We investigated the relationships among physical activity, self-esteem, and mental health in students at colleges in China who are from ethnic minorities. We administered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) to 849 participants. The results showed that total physical activity and moderate intensity activity had significant negative correlations with the respective SCL-90-R factor scores and significant positive correlations with self-esteem. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that study stress was an independent risk factor for mental health, whereas high levels of physical activity and self-esteem were preventive factors. The results suggest that promoting physical activity in college students from ethnic minorities has the potential to increase self-esteem and decrease the risk of mental disorders.

scholarly journals Examining the Exercise and Self-Esteem Model Revised with Self-Compassion among Hong Kong Secondary School Students Using Structural Equation Modeling

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3661
Author(s):  
Ming-Yu Claudia Wong ◽  
Pak-Kwong Chung ◽  
Ka-Man Leung
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
School Students ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
The Relationship

The association between physical activity in achieving mental health benefits and subjective well-being is consistently identified by empirical research. The causation of a positive self-concept created by physical exercise is empirically supported by Sonstroem and Morgan’s (1988) exercise and self-esteem model (EXSEM). However, various drawbacks of maintaining high self-esteem have been identified; thus, the concept of self-compassion was conjectured to be a form of “true self-esteem.” Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and self-compassion by examining the exercise and self-esteem model revised with self-compassion (EXSEM-SC). This study recruited secondary school students from Hong Kong using convenience sampling. The structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, including path analysis and multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling, were used to reveal the results of the study. The results (n = 1097) indicated that the relationship between physical activity and self-compassion could be demonstrated by the EXSEM-SC, with a satisfactory goodness-of-fit index in the SEMs. The SEM also demonstrated the direct paths from physical activity to self-compassion and mental well-being, indicating the significant effect of physical activity on self-compassion.

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