Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Need Satisfaction Moderates the Association Between Physical Activity and Affective States in Adults Aged 50+: an Activity-Triggered Ambulatory Assessment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Substantial evidence shows that physical activities of daily living are positively correlated with affective states in middle-aged and older adults. However, people’s physical activity decreases when they grow older, and conditions that enhance older individuals’ physical activities of daily living are not well understood.

Purpose

This study investigated need satisfaction (competence, relatedness, and autonomy) and its moderating effect on the within-subject relation between physical activities of daily living and three dimensions of affective states (valence, energetic arousal, and calmness) based on an ambulatory assessment that used activity-triggered e-diaries.

Method

The physical activities of daily living of 68 adults aged 50+ (mean age = 60.1 ± 7.1) were measured objectively for three consecutive days, and need satisfaction and affective states were assessed as a function of the amount of physical activity during the preceding 10 min before the affect measurement (in activity-triggered e-diaries). Hierarchical multilevel analyses were performed.

Results

Need satisfaction was significantly and positively correlated with the three dimensions of affective states. Further, physical activities of daily living were significantly associated with energetic arousal and calmness, but not valence. However, when physical activities of daily living were more autonomously regulated, the association of physical activities of daily living and valence became significant and positive.

Conclusion

The findings regarding the significant moderating effects of need satisfaction are crucial for interventions aiming to improve the health-enhancing effects of physical activity in adults aged 50+. Positive feelings owing to physical activities in daily living depend on the extent that psychological needs are satisfied.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Diener E. Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. Am Psychol. 2000; 55: 34-43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ekkekakis P, Petruzello SJ. Analysis of the affect measurement conundrum in exercise psychology I. Fundamental issues. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2000; 1: 71-88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Lee I-M, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, et al. Effects of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: An analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012; 380: 219-229.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Sun F, Norman IJ, While AE. Physical activity in older people: A systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13: 1-28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Trost SG, Owen N, Bauman AE, Sallis JF, Brown W. Correlates of adults’ participation in physical activity: Review and update. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002; 34: 1996-2001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Arent SM, Landers DM, Etnier JL. The effects of exercise in mood in older adults: A meta-analytic review. J Aging Phys Act. 2000; 8: 407-430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Netz Y, Wu MJ, Becker BJ, Tenenbaum G. Physical activity and psychological well-being in advanced age: A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Psychol Aging. 2005; 20: 272-284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Vagetti GC, Barbosa FVC, Moreira NB, et al. Association between physical activity and quality of life in the elderly: A systematic review, 2000-2012. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2014; 36: 76-88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Dunton GF, Atienza AA, Castro CM, King AC. Using ecological momentary assessment to examine antecedents and correlates of physical activity bouts in adults age 50+ years: A pilot study. Ann Behav Med. 2009; 38: 249-255.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kanning M, Schlicht W. Be active and become happy: An ecological momentary assessment of physical activity and mood. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2010; 32: 253-261.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Schwerdtfeger A, Eberhardt R, Chmitorz A. Gibt es einen Zusammenhang zwischen Bewegungsaktivität und psychischem Befinden im Alltag? Eine Methodenillustration zum ambulanten Monitoring in der Gesundheitspsychologie. Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie. 2008; 16: 2-11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Schwerdtfeger A, Eberhardt R, Chmitorz A, Schaller E. Momentary affect predicts bodily movement in daily life: An ambulatory monitoring study. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2010; 32: 674-693.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kanning M, Ebner-Priemer U, Schlicht W. Using activity triggered e-diaries to reveal the associations between physical activity and affective states in older adult’s daily living. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015; 12: 1-10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ortlieb S, Dias A, Gorzelniak L, et al. Exploring patterns of accelerometer-assessed physical activity in elderly people. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014; 11: 1-10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Taraldsen K, Chastin SFM, Riphagen II, Vereijken B, Helbostad JL. Physical activity monitoring by use of accelerometer-based body-worn sensors in older adults: A systematic literature review of current knowledge and applications. Maturitas. 2012; 71: 13-19.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Dong L, Block G, Mandel S. Activities contributing to total energy expenditure in the United States: Results from the NHAPS study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2004; 1: 4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Ryan RM, Deci EL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol. 2000; 55: 68-78.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Deci EL, Ryan RM. The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychol Inq. 2000; 11: 227-268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ryan RM, Bernstein JH, Brown KW. Weekends, work, and well-being: Psychological need satisfactions and day of the week effects on mood, vitality, and physical symptoms. Soc Clin Psychol. 2010; 29: 95-122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Sheldon KM, Elliot AJ. Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1999; 76: 482-497.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Reis HT, Sheldon KM, Gable SL, Roscoe J, Ryan RM. Daily well-being: The role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2000; 26: 419-435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Howell RT, Chenot D, Hill G, Howell CJ. Momentary happiness: The role of psychological need satisfaction. J Happiness Stud. 2011; 12: 1-15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ebner-Priemer UW, Trull TJ. Ecological momentary assessment of mood disorders and mood dysregulation. Psychol Assess. 2009; 21: 463-475.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Fahrenberg J, Myrtek M, Pawlik K, Perrez M. Ambulatory assessment—monitoring behavior in daily life settings. A behavioral-scientific challenge for psychology. Eur J Psychol Assess. 2007; 23: 206-213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Kanning M, Ebner-Priemer UW, Brand R. Autonomous regulation mode moderates the effect of actual physical activity on affective states: An ambulant assessment approach to the role of self-determination. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2012; 34: 260-269.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hallal PC, Anderson LB, Bull FC, et al. Global physical activity levels: Surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. Lancet. 2012; 380: 247-257.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Ebner-Priemer U, Koudela S, Mutz G, Kanning M. Interactive multimodal ambulatory monitoring to investigate the association between physical activity and affect. Front Psychol. 2013; 3: 1-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Myrtek M. Heart and emotion. Ambulatory monitoring studies in everyday life. Göttingen: Hogrefe; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Russell JA. A circumplex model of affect. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1980; 39: 1161-1178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Thayer RE. The biopsychology of mood and arousal. New York: Oxford University Press; 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Schimmack U, Reisenzein R. Experiencing activation: Energetic arousal and tense arousal are not a mixtures of valence and activation. Emotion. 2002; 2: 412-417.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Steyer R, Schwenkmezger P, Notz P, Eid M. Der Mehrdimensionale Befindlichekeitsfragebogen (MDBF). Göttingen: Hogrefe; 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wilhelm P, Schoebi D. Assessing mood in daily life. Structural validity, sensitivity to change, and reliability of a short-scale to measure three basic dimensions of mood. Eur J Psychol Assess. 2007; 23: 258-267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Diener E, Emmons RA, Larsen RJ, Griffin S. The satisfaction with life scale. J Person Assess. 1985; 49: 71-75.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Pavot W, Diener E. Review of the satisfaction with life scale. Psychol Assess. 1993; 5: 164-172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Gagné M. The role of autonomy support and autonomy orientation in prosocial behavior engagement. Motiv Emotion. 2003; 27: 199-223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Raudenbush SW, Bryk A, Congdon R. HLM6: SSI Scientific Software International 2004

  38. Nezlek JB. Multilevel modeling in research on personality. In: Robins R, Fraley RC, Krueger R, eds. Handbook of research methods in personality psychology. New York: Guilford; 2007: 502-523.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Raudenbush SW, Bryk AS. Hierarchical linear models. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Berkemeyer K, Wijndaele K, White T, et al. The descriptive epidemiology of accelerometer-measured physical activity in older adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2016; 7: 1-10.

    Google Scholar 

  41. R Core Team. A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna: R Foundation for Statistical Computing; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Powell R, Allan JL, Johnston DW, et al. Activity and affect: Repeated within-participant assessment in people after joint replacement surgery. Rehabil Psychol. 2009; 54: 83-90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Bossmann T, Kanning M, Koudela S, Hey S, Ebner-Priemer U. The association between short periods of everyday life activities and affective states: A replication using ambulatory assessment. Front Psychol. 2013; 4: 1-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Oweis P, Spinks W. Biopsychological, affective and cognitive responses to acute physical activity. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2001; 41: 528-538.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Baumeister RF, Leary MR. The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human-motivation. Psychol Bull. 1995; 117: 497-529.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Dallinger G, Hänsel K, Martin R, Petter M, Habisch R. Datenreport 2013—Ein Sozialbericht für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Kondo N, Sembajwe G, Kawachi I, et al. Income inequality, mortality, and self rated health: A meta analysis of multilevel studies. Br. Med. J. 2009.

  48. Diener E, Suh EM, Lucas RE, Smith HL. Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychol Bull. 1999; 125: 276-302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Rose EA, Parfitt G. A quantitative analysis and qualitative explanation of the individual differences in affective responses to prescribed and self-selected exercise intensities. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2007; 29: 281-309.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Ulrich Ebner-Primer (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany) for his substantial contribution to conception and design of the ambulatory assessment study with activity-triggered e-diaries.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany

    Martina Kanning PhD

  2. Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Division I Exercise and Health Science, University of Stuttgart, Nobelstraße 15, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Sylvia Hansen MSc

Authors
  1. Martina Kanning PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sylvia Hansen MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martina Kanning PhD.

Ethics declarations

Funding

The study was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (KA 3279/1-1).

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kanning, M., Hansen, S. Need Satisfaction Moderates the Association Between Physical Activity and Affective States in Adults Aged 50+: an Activity-Triggered Ambulatory Assessment. ann. behav. med. 51, 18–29 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9824-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9824-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation