Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2001

Thesis Director

William Russell

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare adult females across various age groups, body mass index, and exercise facilities on their levels of social physique anxiety, reasons for exercise, and adherence rates over an 8-week period. Female members of the Eastern Illinois University Adult Fitness Program (n = 14), Curves for Women (n = 19), and the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center Employee Wellness Program (n = 14) took part in the study. Two age group categories were made: 30-50 (n = 21) and 51+ (n = 26) in order to compare female age groups. Specifically, the purposes of the study were a) to examine whether females with higher social physique anxiety (SPA) and body mass index (BMI) would report greater self-presentational reasons for exercise and would have lower adherence rates than individuals with low SPA and low BMI, and b) to examine whether females across different exercise facilities and different age cohorts, would significantly differ on their SPA levels, reasons for exercise, and attendance rates over the 8-week study period. Measures used for the data analysis included the Social Physique Anxiety Scale, the Reasons for Exercise Inventory, body mass index scores, and 8-week attendance rates. To test the first purpose, a 2 x 4 (SPA level x BMI classification) MANOVA was performed with SPA (median split) and BMI classification as independent variables. Results showed a nonsignificant overall interaction on REI subscales and weekly average attendance (Wilk's Lambda = .67, F (16, 66) = .90, p = .57). Also, there were nonsignificant multivariate main effects for BMI (Wilk's Lambda = .63, F (24, 96) = .70, p = .84) and SPAS category (Wilk's Lambda= .77, F (8, 33) = 1.23, p = .31). When examining REI means, it was discovered that exercising for tone was more important for normal and Class I BMI females compared to overweight females. Hypothesis one was not supported as SPA and BMI did not interact to show greater self-presentational reasons for exercise or adherence rates. In order to test the second purpose, a 3 x 2 (facility x age group) MANOVA was performed using facility and age group as independent variables and SPA, REI, and program attendance as dependent variables. Results showed a nonsignificant overall multivariate interaction (Wilk's Lambda= .76, F (18, 66) = .53, p = .93), showing that facility and age did not interact to affect the dependent variables. There were also nonsignificant affects for age group and facility. Results of follow-up univariate ANOVA's showed a significant main effect for age group on REI attractiveness (F (1, 46) = 5.17, p < .05). Younger females were shown to exercise more for attractiveness reasons (M = 12.71, SD± 3.78) compared to older females (M = 10.04, SD± 4.04). There was also a significant univariate main effect for age on SPA as younger females had significantly higher SPA levels (M = 37.57) compared to older females (M = 31.19). Younger females were also shown to report mood improvement to be more important than older females as the main effect for age group approached significance (F (1, 46) = 3.94, p = .05). Overall results did not strongly support either hypothesis. Using a larger sample size has been indicated as a recommendation for further studies using several variables.

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