Does life stress moderate the effects of a physical activity intervention?

Abstract

The study examined whether life stress moderated the effects of a physical activity intervention. Women (n = 184) and 154 men (61% non-Hispanic white, average age 24 years) from an urban university participated. Data were analyzed separately for men and women using a 2 × 2 ANCOVA adjusting for baseline physical activity (intervention vs. control × high life stress vs. low stress) with total physical activity at one-year and two-year assessments as dependent variables. No significant main effect for stress or condition was found. The interaction was significant (p = 0.015) for men at one-year, indicating that men in the intervention group with high stress were more active than low stress intervention men. Instruction received in the intervention group on the stress-relieving properties of physical activity may have helped men with high stress to adopt or maintain physical activity.

Keywords:

• Health promotion
• Gender
• Exercise
• Relapse prevention
• Moderator

Notes

E-mail: [email protected]

Note: The covariate was baseline physical activity. F values without asterisks are not significant at p < 0.05.

*p < 0.05; ^† 0.05<p ≤ 0.10.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karen J. Calfas

E-mail: [email protected]