Exercise participation and the relationship to depressive symptomatology, motives, barriers, and perceived benefits of exercise participation

There is a considerable amount of media attention and empirical support for the physical and psychological benefits of exercise. These physical benefits include increased longevity (Paffenbarger, Hyde, Wing, & Hsieh, 1986), enhanced cardiac health (Lobitz, Brammell, StoU, & Niccoli, 1983), smoking cessation (Marcus et al., 1999), and weight management (ACSM, 1990). Psychological benefits include improved mood functioning (North, McCuUagh, & Vu Tran, 1990), decreased symptoms of anxiety (Martinsen, Hoffart, & Solberg, 1989), and enhanced response to stress (Crews & Landers, 1987). A summary of these and other benefits was presented by Dubbert (2002). In 1995, Pate and colleagues gathered to consider empirical findings, as well as practical issues, to establish a comprehensive and realistic set of guidelines for the recommended amount of physical activity that individuals should engage in weekly. These guidelines recommend that individuals should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Despite the practical and attainable nature of these guidelines paired with the comprehensive benefits of regular moderate exercise, researchers have found that 30% of adults are sedentary (Dishman, Sallis, & Orenstein, 1985). Furthermore, of those who start exercise programs, 50% will disengage within one year (Oldridge, 1984). Previous studies have found that individuals have many motives for exercise, including physical activity as a social experience, catharsis, health and fitness, aesthetic experience, pursuit of vertigo, and ascetic experience (Kenyon, 1968). Motives involved in exercise participation are numerous and include individual, psychological, social, and program factors. Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between exercise and the previously cited variables, yet none have taken a comprehensive look at these variables in college students. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively investigate the exercise behaviors (motives, barriers, and perceived benefits of exercise participation) of college students. The questionnaires included a demographic information sheet, the Barrows Exercise Questionnaire (BEQ), and the CES-D.

There were 246 participants in this study (125 women and 121 men). Approximately 30% of the sample reported at least 210 minutes of exercise per week, which was the rate of exercise participation set forth in the Healthy People 2000 guidelines (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1991). As expected, exercise participation was significantly and negatively correlated with depressive symptomatology as assessed by the CES-D. The following significantly predicted exercise participation: barriers (lack of time and tired), motives (enjoy exercise, medical and psychological benefits, challenge self, and let out emotions), and perceived benefits (decrease stress and relieve tension and stress). Correlational analyses of the BEQ indicated the presence of numerous, robust, and significant correlations between items on the separate sections of the BEQ. Additional probe analyses were conducted to explore the impact of the skewness on the results. Clinical implications were explored.