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Background: Seventy-five per cent of individuals with prediabetes will eventually be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Physical activity is a cornerstone in reducing type 2 diabetes risk but can be a challenging behaviour to adopt for those living with prediabetes. Individuals with prediabetes experience difficult emotions associated with being at risk for a chronic disease, which can undermine self-regulation. Self-compassion enhances self-regulation because it mitigates difficult emotions and promotes adaptive coping. We performed a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a self-compassion informed intervention to increase physical activity for persons with prediabetes. Methods: This explanatory mixed methods study tested the feasibility and acceptability of a two-arm, randomized, single-blind, actively controlled, 6-week online intervention. Using a 1:1 allocation ratio, participants (identified as people with prediabetes, low physical activity, and low self-compassion) were randomized to a self-compassion (Mage = 60.22 years) or control condition (Mage = 56.13 years). All participants received behaviour change education (e.g. SMART goals, action-coping planning) and either other health knowledge (control condition: e.g. sleep, benefits of water) or self-compassion training (intervention condition: practising mindfulness, writing a letter to themselves offering the same support that they would offer to a friend). The primary outcome was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the trial. To be considered feasible, our outcomes needed to meet or surpass our pre-determined criteria (e.g. time for group formation: 14–20 participants per month). Feasibility was assessed by examining the recruitment rates, retention, adherence, fidelity, and capacity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants to determine trial acceptability. As a secondary purpose, we examined the means on key study variables (secondary and exploratory variables; see Table 1) at all planned time points (baseline, intervention-end, 6- and 12-week follow-up) to identify if they are suitable to include in the efficacy trial (see Additional Table 3). Results: Eighteen participants were screened and randomized to one of two conditions. Retention, instructor fidelity, safety, capacity, adherence to most of the study aspects, and acceptability by participants and facilitators all met the criteria for feasibility. Recruitment rate, process time, and adherence to home practice were below our criteria, and we offer ways to address these shortcomings for the efficacy trial. Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that it should be feasible to deliver our intervention while highlighting the alterations to components that may be altered when delivering the efficacy trial. We outline our changes which should improve and enhance the feasibility and acceptability of our planned intervention. Funding for this study was from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04402710. Registered on 09 April 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) levels among adolescent girls continue to steadily decline, especially for those classified as 'at-risk'. To mitigate these trends, Girls United and on the Move (GUM) was created as a dual-component PA and psychosocial program. The primary purpose of this study was to explore participant experiences within GUM, with a secondary purpose of qualitatively informing future PA programs for 'at-risk' adolescent girls. Semi-structured interviews (N = 30) were conducted with a purposeful sample of girls from the GUM program. An inductive thematic analysis was utilized to analyze verbatim transcripts. Two themes were generated from the data: 1) Girls uplifting girls, outlining the importance of a girls-only environment and introducing opportunities for alternative PAs, and 2) finding balance between the physical and psychological, detailing the importance of the dual-component program. These findings provide support for the acceptability of an integrated psychosocial and PA program for at-risk adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to test a model where body-related self-conscious emotions of shame, guilt, and pride were associated with physical activity regulations and behavior. Adult women (N = 389; M age = 29.82, SD = 15.20 years) completed a questionnaire assessing body-related pride, shame, and guilt, motivational regulations, and leisure-time physical activity. The hypothesized measurement and structural models were deemed adequate, as was a revised model examining shame-free guilt and guilt-free shame. In the revised structural model, body-related pride was positively significantly related to identified and intrinsic regulations. Body-related shame-free guilt was significantly associated with external, introjected, and identified regulations. Body-related guilt-free shame was significantly positively related to external and introjected regulation, and negatively associated with intrinsic regulation. Identified and intrinsic regulations were significantly positively related to physical activity (R2 = .62). These findings highlight the importance of targeting and understanding the realm of body-related self-conscious emotions and the associated links to regulations and physical activity behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In thü study, we explored the mle of heaüh-enhanängphysical activity (HEPA; Miilunpalo, 2001) in women's eudaimonic well bang (i.e., psychological flourishing at one's manmal potential; Ryff, 1989). We used a quantitative approach (N = 349) to explore the relationship betiueen HEPA and eudaimonic well bang. While HEPA was not related to eudaimonic well bang, experienang eudaimonia through HEPA contributed uniqu£ variance in eudaimonic well being beyond HEPA and experiencing hedonia through HEPA. As quality of activity was more important than quantity, a qualitative component (N= 10) provided further insight on if and how HEPA contributes to xvomen 's eudaimonic well being. Participants supported HEPA in fulfilling their potential through goal setting/striving, providing bonding experiences, allowing far self-reflection, and developing a physical/able body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) and well-being was investigated across a cross-sectional (Study 1; N = 243) and a longitudinal, two-wave (Study 2; N = 198) design. Study 2 further examined the role played by fulfilling basic psychological needs in terms of understanding the mechanisms via which HEPA is associated with well-being. Methods: Women enrolled in undergraduate courses were surveyed. Results: In general, greater HEPA was associated with greater well-being (Study 1; rs ranged from .03 to .25). Change score analyses revealed that increased HEPA positively predicted well-being (Study 2; R2adj = 0.03 to 0.15) with psychological need fulfilment underpinning this relationship. Conclusions: Collectively these findings indicate that increased engagement in health-enhancing physical activity represents one factor associated with greater well-being. Continued investigation of basic psychological need fulfilment as one mechanism underpinning the HEPA-well-being relationship appears justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was (a) to examine the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and motives for wellbeing and (b) to examine the potential role of perceived psychological need satisfaction (Deci & Ryan, 2002) in terms of the physical activity-motive for well-being relationship. Adopting a crosssectional design, participants (N = 142; Mage = 65.01 years; SDage = 10.55 years) were individuals diagnosed with osteopenia who completed a self-report survey on a single occasion. Bivariate correlations indicated that LTPA was associated with motives for hedonic (r = .28) and eudaimonic (r = .35) well-being and psychological need satisfaction (r's = .12 to .45). Multiple mediation analysis indicated perceived psychological need satisfaction mediated the LTPA- hedonic/eudaimonic motive relationship. The 95 percent bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap confidence interval demonstrated that perceived competence and autonomy were the unique mediators. Collectively, results of this study support the relationship between physical activity and levels of hedonic/eudaimonic motives and that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs is a plausible mechanism underpinning such motivational orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physical self-perceptions and physical activity in Canadian school children aged 10–14 years. The sample consisted of 220 boys and 246 girls in grades 5–8. Physical activity was assessed by 7-day recall using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. Selfperceptions of physical conditioning, sports competence, strength, body appearance and general physical selfworth were measured by the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). We found that boys were more physically active than girls and had higher perceptions of sport competence and strength. All PSPP scales were significantly correlated with physical activity in both boys and girls. Structural equation modelling procedures found the hierarchical PSPP model provided a good fit to the observed data, with little evidence of diff erences between the sexes. Analysis of five alternative structural models of the relationship between the PSPP and physical activity found the most parsimonious model to have significant pathways from both physical conditioning and sport skills to physical activity. Models for the sample as a whole, for boys and for girls were similar, accounting for an R 2 of 0.27–0.29 for physical activity. Our results demonstrate that physical self-perceptions, especially physical conditioning and sport skills, are significant correlates of activity in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the emotion narratives in older women's ageing body and physical activity-related stories. Method The study was informed by narrative inquiry. We conducted two semi-structured interviews with 21 women aged 65 to 94 and asked them about their physical activity engagement, and body perceptions, experiences, and management strategies. Using thematic narrative analysis, we analysed the content of participants’ stories pertaining to physical activity, the core patterns within them, and considered the cultural context in which they were embedded. Results Emotion narratives of anxiety/fear, shame, guilt, pride, and pleasure permeated the women's stories. Participants feared physical and cognitive decline, and engaged in physical activity to stave off the ageing process. Body-related shame and guilt transected their stories; they were frustrated by their inabilities to engage in certain activities and with their move away from the healthy and physically fit cultural ideal. To negotiate this body-related anxiety/fear, shame, and guilt, the women drew attention to their accomplishments in the physical domain with pride, reinforcing their efforts to take personal responsibility for their health. Participants were also physically active for pleasure, gaining satisfaction from the social connections and mindfulness derived from being active, and through their participation in challenging yet rewarding activities. Conclusions The findings are novel as they highlight the importance of cultural age and body norms coupled with complex emotional experiences in shaping later life physical activity experiences, and draw attention to the usefulness of stories to explore emotions in the physical domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who are more physically active, compared to those who are less physically active, typically report more favourable perceptions of their physical appearance and functioning (i.e., physical self-concept). However, there is limited empirical evidence examining how psychological processes associated with physical activity can affect the strength of this relationship. In the current study, perceptions of controllability (i.e., controllable attributions) was tested as a moderator of the relationship between physical activity and physical self-concept. A sample of 189 adults (M age = 23.8 years; n male = 76, n female = 112, n unspecified = 1) read hypothetical scenarios that elicited emotions specific to achievement or failure. Participants completed measures assessing their attributions for each scenario, together with self-report physical activity and physical self-concept. In the final models, the relationship between physical activity and physical self-concept was stronger among those participants who reported higher perceptions of controllability. The effectiveness of physical activity interventions may be improved through attributional retraining to adaptive (controllable) attributions. • Self-conscious emotions, pride and shame arise from fitness-based scenarios. • Controllability moderates physical activity and physical self-concept relationship. • Attribution retraining might improve outcomes of physical activity interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]