Health Psychology Commons^™

Smoking And Exercise: Mechanisms And Effects During Simulated And Genuine Quit Attempts, Stefanie De Jesus

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cigarette smoking is a leading agent for premature morbidity and mortality among the global community. Most individuals surrender to tobacco use disorder due to the inability to cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Exercise appears to provide acute relief. Currently, it is unclear how exercise attenuates these reductions. Furthermore, the available evidence has focused on acute outcomes besides smoking behaviour and is limited to simulated quit attempts. Three experimental studies were designed to address these outstanding issues. Not surprisingly, a bout of moderate intensity exercise was found in study 1 (chapter 2) to reduce cravings associated with a temporary period …

An Examination Of Psychological Variables Influencing Perceptions Of The Self Among A Sample Of Female Exercise Initiates, Lisa Cooke

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The general purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship among and within cognitive variables associated with exercise initiation and maintenance in a sample of female exercise initiates.

Manuscript 1 was structured to explore the changes to exercise identity among a population of female exercise initiates (N = 78) grouped into an imagery or control condition. Previous research has found that a strong exercise identity is associated with more frequent exercise (Strachan et al., 2009) and increases over time as a person continues to exercise (Cardinal & Cardinal, 1997). Participants were assessed multiple times (weeks 0, 5, 9, …

Mixed Methods Pilot Study Of Peri-Diagnostic Exercise Behaviour Change Among Women With Suspected Breast Cancer, Amy L. Deckert

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Approximately 1 in 9 Canadian women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime (CCS, 2013). Over the past 30 years, population-based screening programs have contributed to decreased mortality rates (CCS, 2013), however the psychosocial sequelae associated with screening for breast cancer cannot be ignored (Holland et al., 2010). Although the majority of women screened will receive a benign diagnosis, the threat of malignancy can induce elevated levels of distress (Andrykowski et al., 2002).

We conducted a mixed methods pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-week self-managed exercise behaviour change intervention to attenuate distress in women with …

Exercise And Pregnancy: Developing Effective Intervention Strategies And Improving Psychological Well-Being, Anca Gaston

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research has consistently demonstrated that regular exercise during pregnancy is associated with improved maternal and fetal well-being. However, the majority of pregnant women fail to meet minimum exercise guidelines. The main objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding the promotion of exercise during pregnancy. First, a review of the existing literature highlighted which individual and social factors are associated with exercise or lack thereof during pregnancy. Using a randomized control trial design, study 1 (chapter 2) demonstrated that information about the role of exercise in preventing maternal-fetal disease grounded in Protection Motivation Theory can …

Mechanisms Behind The Success Of Exercise As An Adjunct Quit Smoking Aid, Therese M. Harper

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It is well documented that temporarily abstinent smokers who undergo an acute bout of moderate intensity exercise experience a reduction in nicotine craving and withdrawal. Conversely, available research in chronic exercise and smoking cessation does not reliably demonstrate that combining exercise with well established treatments increases smoking abstinence rates. The overall aim of this dissertation was to investigate mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise in a group of female smokers taking part in a 14 week exercise plus nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) patch programme. Determining how smokers may benefit from exercise has important implications for designing effective interventions. Three …