Scheduled for Research Consortium Free Communication: Facilitating an Understanding of College Students' Physical Activity Behavior, Thursday, March 15, 2007, 8:45 AM - 10:00 AM, Convention Center: 328


Facilitating an Online Philosophic Personal Commitment to Exercise

Crystal Hasey, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, Karen F. Rickel, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA, Sharon Kay Stoll, University Of Idaho, Potlatch, ID and Jennifer M. Beller, Washington State University, Pullman, WA

This study compared objective and subjective commitment to physical activity in two groups (control and treatment) of college students in a personal fitness program. The 13 lesson online, augmented program (Tips, Learning, and Challenges TLC) challenged treatment participants to reflect on both the objective (the positive health benefits)and subjective meaningful events (I am more than an objective thing), and related behaviors (I exercise because movement completes me) of exercise. Each lesson on WebCT, required students to reflect and write on their physical activity. Participants were 70 college-aged students, 56 treatment and 14 controls. IRB approval was granted; all subjects gave informed consent. A 2 (group = treatment; controls) X 2 Time (pre; posttest) repeated measures was run using ANOVA to examine main factors and interactions of time and group on commitment to exercise. Experimentwise error rates were controlled at a level equal to the F test alpha level (p<.05). Participants completed the Rickel Value Inventory, a valid and reliable tool for measuring both objective and subjective commitment to exercise (Cronbach alphas objective 78-.89; subjective .81-.87), both pre and post study. No significant difference was found with the interaction of group by time on the RVI objective measures: Wilk's Lambda F(1, 68) = .41, p=.523. Both treatment (pre mean = 34.16 + .88 and posttest = 37.37 + .67) and control groups (pre M= 34.07 + 1.76; post M = 36.28 + 1.35) scored similarly. A significant difference was found with the interaction of group by time on the subjective measures F(1, 68) = 5.71, p = .02, partial eta2 = .08. The treatment group scored significantly higher pre (M= 20.92 + .62) to posttest (M = 24.25 + .61) compared to the control group pre (M = 19.21 + 1.25) to posttest (M = 19.35 + 1.22). Given that both groups scored similarly on objective measures, participation in the objective based wellness personal fitness program (the prudential approach of “I need to exercise because it is good for me”) may have an affect on objective measures, research is clear that objective values alone appear not to sustain the general public, perhaps the missing thread to adherence is an appreciation of the subjective value (I exercise because I am my body). The TLC online approach appears to help individuals gain a more subjective committment which then may relate to exercise adherence over a life time.
Keyword(s): active participation, adult physical activity/fitness, exercise/fitness/physical activity

Back to the 2007 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition (March 13 -- 17, 2007)