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Experiential Attitudes about Physical Activity in Older Adults

Van Wasshenova, Emily
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1525445315290475

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Health Education.
Introduction: Research on physical activity have frequently used the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) to explore physical activity intentions and behavior. The IBM construct of attitude includes experiential attitude (feelings about the behavior) and instrumental attitude (beliefs about the behavior). Studies aimed at understanding or promoting physical activity behavior have largely ignored experiential attitude while focusing on instrumental attitude by using cognitively based techniques to increase physical activity. However, a growing body of research has explored the contribution of experiential attitudes to physical activity intentions and behavior. If increasing physical activity to recommended levels for risk reduction and health promotion is the goal, innovative intervention methods are needed. These methods should be tested on populations who could benefit the most from physical activity interventions, such as older adults. This dissertation consisted of two studies: 1) Experiential Attitudes with Physical Activity in Older Adults: Health Measure Correlates and Psychosocial Factors that Predict Intentions and Behavior and 2) Manipulating Positive Experiential Attitudes with Physical Activity in Participants in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. The aim of both studies was to determine the contribution of positive experiential attitude to predict physical activity behavior and to determine if positive experiential attitudes with physical activity can be manipulated. Methods: The first study was a cross-sectional, non-experimental study to survey older adults (n=98, female n = 68, male n = 30, M age = 77.57) using the IBM to predict physical activity behavior and general health. The second study was an experimental study in patients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program (n = 58, male n=43, female n = 24, M age = 67.5) to manipulate positive experiential attitudes with physical activity. The dependent variable for both studies was positive experiential attitude and physical activity behavior. Additionally, the first study had general health as a dependent variable, while the second study had intentions as a dependent variable. For the first study, the independent variables were health measures known to be related to physical activity and psychosocial variables. The second used the manipulation as an independent variable. For both studies, statistical analyses were conducted using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0. In the second study, a mediation analysis was performed (Preacher, 2008) using the Process bootstrapping macro for SPSS (Hayes, 2017). Demographic characteristics of participants for both studies were summarized via descriptive statistics. Bivariate analyses for both studies were performed to evaluate the relationships between psychosocial variables and other key study variables. For the first study, multiple linear regressions were conducted to identify the significant predictors of physical activity behavior and general health. The second study used linear regression to predict intention from positive experiential attitude. Additionally, a t-test was run to determine any differences in physical activity behavior between the manipulation and control group. Mediation analysis was conducted in the second study to identify if the relationship between the manipulation and exercise minutes was mediated by positive experiential attitudes and/or intentions towards physical activity. Results: The first study showed positive experiential attitudes were correlated with BMI, body fat percentage, aerobic endurance, and physical health (p<0.05). Intention was a statistically significant predictor of physical activity (p<0.001). Perceived control, descriptive norms, and intentions were significant predictors of physical health (p<0.05). Three variables emerged as significant predictors of mental health variable: negative experiential attitudes, self-efficacy, and descriptive norm (p<0.05). For the second study, there were no statistically significant differences between the control group and the manipulation group (p>0.05). Although the regression model predicted 15.5% of the variance in intentions at time 3 (p<0.05), positive experiential attitudes time 1, 2, or 3 were not a significant predictor of intentions at time 3 (p>0.05). The manipulation did not significant change minutes of physical activity (t= -0.15, p= .88). When intentions were considered as a mediator between the manipulation and physical activity behavior, it was also not a significant mediator (95% CI: -8.30, 25.45). Similarly, experiential attitude was not a mediator for intentions and exercise minutes (95% CI: -1.21, 12.66). Conclusion: Both studies significantly contribute to the understanding of physical activity behavior in older adults and the psychosocial variables within the IBM that are useful in predicting intentions and physical activity behavior. Future research should explore health measures and positive experiential attitudes in a longitudinal study. Additionally, longer intervention studies should explore if positive experiential attitudes can be manipulated and any subsequent changes in physical activity behavior due to manipulation of attitudes.
Debra Boardley (Committee Chair)
Andrew Geers (Committee Member)
Matthew Tull (Committee Member)
Victoria Steiner (Committee Member)
Health Education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Van Wasshenova, E. (2018). Experiential Attitudes about Physical Activity in Older Adults [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1525445315290475

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Van Wasshenova, Emily. Experiential Attitudes about Physical Activity in Older Adults. 2018. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1525445315290475.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Van Wasshenova, Emily. "Experiential Attitudes about Physical Activity in Older Adults." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1525445315290475

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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