Theresa C. Brown

Helping Members Commit to Exercise: Specific Strategies to Impact the Climate at Fitness Centers

Research has revealed that when individuals perceive a caring and task-involving climate in physical activity settings they are more likely to have positive experiences. The purpose of this paper is to provide fitness center employees with specific strategies for creating a caring, task-involving environment in their exercise settings. These strategies can help employees positively influence members’ overall exercise experiences. A variety of employee positions in fitness centers are targeted including front desk staff, membership, group fitness, personal trainers, supervisors and support staff.

Association Between Females’ Perceptions of College Aerobic Class Motivational Climates and Their Responses

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between female college students’ perceptions of the motivational climate in their aerobics classes to their adaptive exercise responses. Data were collected from university group exercise classes in spring 2008. The participants (N = 213) responded to a questionnaire measuring perceptions of the climate (i.e., caring, task-, and ego-involving), correlates of intrinsic motivation (i.e., interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and tension/pressure), commitment to exercise, and reasons for exercising. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that participants who perceived a predominately caring, task-involving climate reported higher interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and commitment to exercise, as well as lower tension/pressure. Further, those who perceived a high caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving climate were also more likely to report more health-related reasons for exercise versus appearance-focused reasons. Results suggested that important motivational benefits might exist when women perceive caring, task-involving climates in their aerobics class settings. Aerobics class instructors who intentionally create caring, task-involving climates may promote more adaptive motivational responses among their female participants.

Strong Girls: A Physical-Activity/Life-Skills Intervention for Girls Transitioning to Junior High

The purpose of this study was to provide a physical-activity and life-skills/team-building intervention for elementary-grade girls who participated in a daily summer community camp. The intervention, called “Strong Girls,” included a group of approximately 20 sixth-grade girls. Strong Girls included two-hour sessions, twice a week for eight weeks. Each session, girls participated in physical activities, team building, and life-skills activities designed to enhance their fitness, positive thinking, confidence, and social skills. Leaders strived to foster a caring, supportive, and cooperative environment within the group. Assessment occurred via journal entries that both the Strong Girls participants and the daily summer community camp leaders completed after each session. The girls had very positive responses about their involvement in Strong Girls. Responses indicated that they valued the process of working together, demonstrated a positive perspective on session activities, and talked about strategies to make life more fun. Overall, the program gave adolescent girls opportunities to develop important life skills.

Evaluating the Pilot of Strong Girls: A Life Skills/Physical Activity Program for Third and Fourth Grade Girls

The purpose of this investigation was to report on a pilot study of a physical activity/positive life skills program called Strong Girls. The program was framed within the theoretical tenets of achievement goal perspective theory. Evaluation consisted of the participants’ perceptions of the climate (i.e., caring, task- and ego-involving), and pre-post scores for their self-perceptions and goal orientations. Results revealed participants perceived the environment to be high caring and task-involving and low ego-involving. Participants also reported a positive increase in task-orientation. Results suggest that Strong Girls is a feasible, effective youth development program, ready for larger-scale evaluation or dissemination.

Psychometric Properties of the Abbreviated Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire

The purpose of this study was to develop an abbreviated version of the Perceived Motivational Climate in Exercise Questionnaire (PMCEQ-A) to provide a more practical instrument for use in applied exercise settings. In the calibration step, two shortened versions’ measurement and latent model values were compared to each other and the original PMCEQ using a three-group CFA invariance testing approach with previously collected exercise setting data (N = 5,427). Based on the model fit and reliability values, the 12-item version performed better than the 17-item version. The resultant 12-item PMCEQ-A’s CFA model estimates were then compared to the PMCEQ’s model values for two different, previously conducted studies of exercise settings (N = 414 and 770). The more parsimonious 12-item PMCEQ-A can be used by exercise psychology researchers to gain insight into members’ perspectives on the motivational climate and may lead to developing effective strategies to enhance members’ experiences and commitment.

Comparing current fitness center members’ perceptions of the motivational climate with non-members

Researchers using an achievement goal theory and caring climate framework have highlighted the connection between fitness center members’ climate perceptions and their exercise motivation. However, much of what is known comes from current members, with little known about former and non-members’ perceptions. The purpose of this study was to compare current, former, and non-members’ perceptions of the motivational climate of a university campus fitness facility. Faculty and staff (N = 657) at a large American university completed a one-time mixed-methods survey about their perceptions of the motivational climate (i.e. caring climate; preference for caring, task-, ego-involving climate), staff behaviors (i.e. caring, task involving), and usage of their campus fitness facility. Despite usage, quantitative analyses indicated that all participants reported valuing a caring, task-involving climate over a non-caring, ego-involving climate when choosing a fitness center. When asked about the particular fitness center for this study, current members were more likely than former and never users to perceive a caring climate where staff engaged in task-involving behaviors. Content analysis of the qualitative comments revealed that three main themes emerged with regard to perceptions and fell into positive, negative, and neutral categories. Overall, current users were more likely to perceive caring behaviors among the staff such as taking measures to welcome members and supporting their individualized goals. Former and never users were more likely to perceive staff as unhelpful, unwelcoming, and unfriendly. In an effort to remove barriers to physical activity, fitness professionals should consider how their behaviors, interactions, and promotional materials impact individuals’ decision of whether to exercise at their fitness facility. The findings include a discussion for fitness staff to consider when creating advertisement and outreach efforts as well as how to foster the most effective climate to attract and retain exercisers.

A motivational climate intervention and exercise-related outcomes: A longitudinal perspective.

Although researchers have suggested that the social context in exercise settings is linked to individuals’ physical activity motivation and potential exercise-related outcomes, few research designs have examined the nuance of those relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinally the relationships between the motivational climate of a fitness center and members’ exercise experiences, using an intervention designed from achievement goal perspective theory and self-determination theory. Using a half-longitudinal structural equation model, we modeled members’ perceptions of the motivational climate, basic psychological needs, exercise motivation, and exercise experiences (including commitment to exercise, life satisfaction, and body image) pre- and post-intervention The model revealed significant latent mean differences for post-intervention constructs, with participants experiencing a more positive motivational climate, higher competence and relatedness, intrinsic motivation, commitment, and life satisfaction. The final mediation model demonstrated tenable fit, suggesting that perceptions of climate have significant direct and indirect effects on commitment, life satisfaction, and body image. Our study supports the view that perceptions of the motivational climate as caring and task-involving contribute to an advantageous social context for exercise where basic psychological needs are nurtured; intrinsic motivation is fostered; and individuals experience well-being benefits, including increased life satisfaction. Short and targeted caring and task-involving climate training with fitness center staff may result in members’ perceiving a significant change in the motivational climate. Further randomized controlled studies should confirm these hypotheses.

Impact of a Theory-Guided Encouragement Intervention on an Employee Walking Pilot Program

This study investigated the impact of encouraging e-mails on self-efficacy, adherence, and step-count in a 10-week walking program. Using a 3 × 3 mixed design, participants randomly received task-involving/caring (n = 37), ego-involving (n = 35), or neutral (n = 34) e-mails and completed pre-/mid-/post surveys. Exercise self-efficacy increased over time, regardless of e-mail content. More of the task/care group adhered (63%) than ego (41%) or neutral groups (50%). The task/care group members who adhered reported significantly more daily-steps than ego or neutral groups. Results suggest that the theoretical framework used to guide encouragement in walking programs may impact participants’ adherence and steps.