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Unpacking differences in post-exercise affective experiences between physically underactive and active individuals

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Abstract

Background: Affective response to exercise (i.e., how individuals feel during- and post-exercise) as well as post-behavioral evaluations of affective experiences with exercise (i.e., reflecting on the experience after engaging in exercise) may be important determinants of regular exercise. Purpose: We compared post-exercise affective response and post-behavioral evaluations of exercise between a physically active and underactive group. Physically active (n = 32) and underactive (n = 25) participants completed a 10-minute treadmill bout of vigorous exercise and reported affective valence, positive activated affect, negative activated affect, calmness, fatigue and relief at various points during and/or after the bout. Results:As expected, both groups reported an improvement in affective valence immediately post-exercise (ps < 0.001). This improvement in affective valence was associated with a concurrent decrease in negative affect (ps < 0.05) for the physically underactive group and was only associated with a concurrent increase in positive affect (ps < 0.02) for the active group. There were significant differences between physically active and underactive groups in pre-post exercise changes in positive activated affect (ps < 0.005). The underactive group reported greater relief than the active group at all-post exercise time-points (ps < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings have implications for understanding post-exercise affective response and post-behavioral evaluations of exercise and for interventions directed at influencing the post-exercise affective response and behavioral evaluations of exercise in physically underactive individuals.

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Data Availability

Raw data were generated at Southern Methodist University. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author [MS] on request.

Code Availability

Available from the corresponding author [MS] on request.

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Funding

MS is supported by K23AT012126-01A1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA

    Margarita Sala

  2. Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA

    David Rosenfield & Austin S. Baldwin

Authors
  1. Margarita Sala
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  2. David Rosenfield
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Contributions

Margaret Sala: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing– Original Draft, Writing – Review & Edit, Statistical Analysis, Visualization, Supervision, Project Administration David Rosenfield: Writing – Review & Edit Austin Baldwin: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing – Review & Edit, Supervision, Project Administration.

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Correspondence to Margarita Sala.

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All study materials and procedures were reviewed and approved by the Southern Methodist University Institutional Review Board.

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Sala, M., Rosenfield, D. & Baldwin, A.S. Unpacking differences in post-exercise affective experiences between physically underactive and active individuals. J Behav Med 47, 111–122 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-023-00442-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-023-00442-6

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