Acute Aerobic Exercise Enhances Students’ Creativity

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an aerobics games class on creativity in children during the school day. Participants were 96 students (age = 9.84 ± 1.12 years), 48 girls and 48 boys. The students were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG, n = 48) or the control group (CG, n = 48). The Prueba de Imaginación Creativa-Niños (PIC-N) test was employed to assess narrative and graphic creativity. The EG took part in an aerobic games session lasting 45 min; the CG did not take part in a physical education class on that school day. As for group × time interaction, the EG experienced significant improvements in all creativity variables except in graphic originality, graphic titles, and graphic details. The CG did not improve any creativity variables. The findings suggest that acute aerobic exercise can enhance students’ creativity, which could be important for academic achievement.     

Tired,moody and pregnant? Exercise may be the answer

Negative psychological states such as depression, fatigue and anxiety are experienced by many women during pregnancy. This study examined whether engaging in an exercise programme during pregnancy is associated with improvements in psychological well-being among previously inactive women (n?=?56, M age?=?30.34, SD?=?4.57; M weeks pregnant?=?22.58, SD?=?5.32). Participants completed the Profile of Mood States–Short Form and State Trait Anxiety Scale-Trait version at baseline and after four weeks of exercise. Exercise was assessed using accelerometers and these data were used to determine bouts of 30-min of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Factorial repeated measures ANOVAs demonstrated that participants who met Canadian guidelines for exercise during pregnancy at week four (n?=?17) experienced significant decreases in depression (p?=?.004, η²?=?.13), anger (p?=?.03, η²?=?.08), tension (p?=?.03, η²?=?.08), fatigue (p?=?.01, η²?=?.10), trait anxiety (p?=?.01, η²?=?.12) and increases in vigour (p?=?.001, η²?=?.19) compared to those who were not meeting guidelines (n?=?39). From a psychological health perspective, these findings highlight the importance of continuing to promote exercise during pregnancy.     

Does Exercising with Another Enhance the Stress-Reducing Benefits of Exercise?

This study sought to determine if the stress-reducing benefits of exercise are improved by exercising with others rather than alone. One hundred and thirty-six participants completed a series of questionnaires measuring levels of tension, calmness, energy, and tiredness before exercise, immediately following exercise, and later that day before bedtime. Participants exercised on a laboratory stationary bicycle for 30 minutes at moderate intensity either alone, with another person while talking, or with another person while remaining silent. A series of ANOVA procedures revealed that participants generally experienced more energy and calmness and less tiredness after exercise. Furthermore, exercising with someone resulted in more calmness but also more tiredness than when exercising alone. Males generally reported more positive psychological effects than females. Results suggest that exercise with someone may be calming but more tiring due to a potential increased competition or workload.     

Exercise is medicine… when you enjoy it: Exercise enjoyment,relapse prevention efficacy,and health outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service

ObjectiveEvidence for the effectiveness of exercise as therapy for youth substance use disorder (SUD) is scarce. In this study, we investigated associations between exercise enjoyment and recovery outcomes for youth undergoing residential SUD treatment.MethodUsing ecological momentary assessment, each week participants reported perceptions of exercise enjoyment, relapse prevention efficacy, self-esteem, and physical health, and associations between these variables were assessed at both between- and within-person levels. There were 97 participants (age: M = 17.5, SD = 1.57, range = 14 to 21; 37 female, 60 male), with a final sample of 64 due to participants (n = 33) discontinuing treatment within 2 weeks of commencement. Of the remaining sample, 50% (n = 32) completed 3 or more assessments, 40% (n = 26) completed 5 or more, and 25% (n = 16) completed 7 or more.ResultsRelapse prevention efficacy, self-esteem, and perceived physical health increased over time in the program. Youth who, on average, enjoyed exercise more had higher self-esteem, perceived physical health, and relapse prevention efficacy than those who enjoyed it less. Additionally, on occasions when youth enjoyed exercise more (relative to their own average), they reported higher self-esteem, perceived physical health, and relapse prevention efficacy than on occasions when they reported enjoying it less.ConclusionParticipation in—and importantly, enjoyment of—exercise was linked to key health indices and predictors of relapse for youth during SUD treatment. These findings demonstrate that participation in enjoyable structured exercise may provide an important component of successful SUD treatment.     

Does the German version of the Exercise Dependence Scale measure exercise dependence?

ObjectiveTo examine the concordance of a questionnaire-based categorization as ‘at-risk for exercise dependence’ and an interview-based diagnosis of exercise dependence.DesignOne hundred thirty four subjects answered the German version of the Exercise Dependence Scale-21 (EDS-G). They were also assessed with a structured clinical interview for exercise dependence.MethodThe congruence between the questionnaire-based categorizations of ‘at-risk for exercise dependence’ and the diagnosis of exercise dependence based on the interview was examined using κ-coefficients.ResultThe agreement between questionnaire-based and interview-based diagnoses was fair to moderate with more false positive categorization based on the EDS-G.ConclusionAssuming that a structured clinical interview allows a more accurate diagnostic categorization, the EDS-G might overestimate the prevalence of exercise dependence.     

Hamilton: The “Activist Client” Is No Longer an Academic Exercise

Inspired by the life-altering passion of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton as depicted in the musical Hamilton, I read Samuels’s paper through the construct of revolution as an idea as well as a practice. Largely in agreement with the concepts of Samuels’s paper, this response presents a three-tiered pragmatic project for how to create the activist-client: client-centered narratives, diversity theory, and financial flexibility.     

Barth's First Commentary on Romans (1919): An Exercise in Apophatic Theology?

Abstract:  Barth's first commentary on Paul's Epistle to the Romans is paradigmatic of his use of apophatic language and theology in the development away from the liberal neo-Protestant theology of his teachers. This negation is for a purpose – the assertion of the truths of the human condition and God's solution in Christ that were posited by the apostle Paul. Methodologically this is a supplementary apophatic–cataphatic dialectic (within which is a further dialectic: Diesseits – Jenseits ), comparable with the way eternity reaches into and transforms the fallen and broken human world. The evidence for negation in Römerbrief¹ is examined, showing how Barth seeks to refute the domestication of God in the self-satisfaction of our language, allowing for biblical-Christian truth to stand.     

From Calvin to Gillespie on Covenant: Mythological Excess or an Exercise in Doctrinal Development?

Much of the discussion about the development of Reformed theology in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries has focused on the elaboration of the covenantal understanding of theology. While the covenant of works has received much attention, the covenant of redemption, a term which emerges in the middle of the seventeenth century, has been comparatively neglected and, when referenced at all, has tended to be dismissed as a highly speculative addition to Reformed theology, a piece of mythology, as Barth famously quipped. In fact, a close examination of the concerns underlying the doctrine, particularly those touching on the Reformed emphasis on Christ as Mediator according to his person (and thus both natures) indicates that this later development stands in positive relation to the earlier work of Calvin and company; and a close examination of the work of its major exponent, Patrick Gillespie, also indicates that it is a great example of how later Reformed theology did not abandon the earlier Protestant concern for connecting exegesis to doctrinal synthesis.     

Exercise,affect, and university students’ appraisals of academic events prior to the final examination period

ObjectivesTo assess whether exercise was associated with increased positive and decreased negative affect for university students during academically demanding times.DesignWithin-subjects daily diary study.MethodsFifty-nine university students completed the LTEQ [Godin, G., & Shephard, R.J. (1985). A simple method to assess exercise behavior in the community. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Science, 10, 141–146], cognitive appraisals of daily events [Lazarus, R. S. (1999). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. New York: Springer], and the PANAS [Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070] for 14 days immediately prior to the final examination period.ResultsOur hypotheses were partially supported as threat appraisals were significantly associated with decreased positive affect on days closer to the final examination period. Contrary, to our hypotheses exercise was not independently associated with increased positive and decreased negative affect. However, the interaction between exercise and day was significant as participants experienced increased positive affect during the last 3 days of data collection immediately preceding the final exam period. There was also a significant exercise by threat interaction with follow-up tests showing the exercise/negative affect relationship was significantly moderated by threat appraisals only when academic events were appraised as mildly threatening.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that exercise behavior might be an effective way for college students to cope with stress especially during academic demanding times.     

The Body in Spiritual Exercise: A Comparative Study between Epictetan Askēsis and Early Buddhist Meditation

The paper explores the role of body in Epictetus’s Discourse and Buddhist Satipa??hāna Sutta and underscores the importance of embodied practice in Epictetan askēsis (‘training or exercise’). It argues that the important but unrecognized role of the body in Epictetan askēsis can be better understood if we introduce in some perspectives of early Buddhism. From the angle of spiritual exercise, early Buddhism maintains that the meditator ought to experience the body directly and contemplate the body as an impermanent physical object, and not identify oneself with it. And based on the insight into the reality of the body and the cultivation of bodily awareness, the meditator can detach himself from the transient phenomenon and remove the unwholesome states of mind. Similarly, for Epictetus, by training our impression on the body and regarding the body as an indifferent thing but not the true self, one may successfully attain the truth of the body conditioned in various social contexts and then realize detachment and freedom. Therefore, in both early Buddhist meditation and Epictetan askēsis, the embodied practice of contemplating the body as it actually is, is also a spiritual exercise to understand the phenomenal world and detach from external things and to examine and tranquilize the internal world.     

Medical Students’ Efforts to Integrate and/or Reclaim Authentic Identity: Insights from a Mask-Making Exercise

Medical students’ mask-making can provide valuable insights into personal and professional identity formation and wellness. A subset of first- and second-year medical students attending a medical school wellness retreat participated in a mask-making workshop. Faculty-student teams examined student masks and explanatory narratives using visual and textual analysis techniques. A quantitative survey assessed student perceptions of the experience. We identified an overarching theme: “Reconciliation/reclamation of authentic identity.” The combination of nonverbal mask-making and narrative offers rich insights into medical students’ experience and thinking. This activity promoted reflection and self-care, while providing insight regarding personal and professional development.     

Validation française du questionnaire de dépendance de l’exercice physique (Exercise Dependence Questionnaire)

IntroductionThe Exercise Dependence Questionnaire (EDQ) conceptualises exercise dependence (ED) within both traditional biomedical and psychosocial perspectives. This tool is a valid and reliable multidimensional measure of ED.ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to examine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability and factorial validity of the EDQ, in a French language version. In comparison to other existing scales like the EDS (Exercise Dependance Scale), the EDQ emphases not only the symptoms of addiction but also the motivations to exercise.MethodThe French language version of the EDQ was completed by 160 participants (60% male, students and practitioners leisures of sports activities). Participants completed the EDS and measures of exercise behavior.ResultsAdequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability for the scale were obtained. Confirmatory analysis (SPSS 16) supported a correlated eight-factor model, as suggested by Ogden, Veale and Summers (1997). The model fit indices were satisfying, RMSEA = 0.048; CFI = 0.90; IFI = 0.91; Chi²/dll = 1.38. This study provides evidence for the reliability and validity of the French language version of the EDQ. The convergent validity of this scale with the Exercise Dependence Scale was r = 0.52. These two scales appear more complementary than redundant. The EDS focuses more on the strict definition of the dependence whereas the EDQ adds a motivational perspective often link to eating disorders.ConclusionThe EDQ can be thus used in the clinical and studies framework on the exercise dependence.     

Correction to: Medical Students’ Efforts to Integrate and/or Reclaim Authentic Identity: Insights from a Mask-Making Exercise

Journal of Medical Humanities - The authors would like to correct a misspelling in the name of one of the authors due to a typographical error. The name should read Atur Turakhia, not Artur...     

The Effect of Simultaneous Exercise and Exposure to Thin-Ideal Music Videos on Women’s State Self-Objectification, Mood and Body Satisfaction

The present study examined the simultaneous impact of thin-ideal music videos and exercise on state self-objectification, mood and body satisfaction, in order to assess whether exercise can ameliorate the usually found negative effects of appearance-focused media. One-hundred and eighty-four South Australian undergraduate women viewed appearance-focused or neutral music videos, with half in each condition simultaneously participating in a bout of exercise or in quiet rest. Participants completed pre- and post- state measures of mood, body satisfaction and self-objectification. As expected, exposure to appearance-focused music videos produced increased state self-objectification in comparison to neutral images. For body satisfaction, an interaction emerged for the dimension of physical attractiveness, whereby women who exercised and watched appearance-focused video clips felt more attractive than women watching the same clips who did not exercise, and felt no less attractive than women who watched neutral clips. The findings demonstrate that thin-ideal music videos serve to increase state self-objectification, but that exercise can ameliorate the negative effects of idealized media images on women’s feelings of physical attractiveness.     

“I'm More Acknowledged”: A Qualitative Exploration of Men's Positioning of their Body Image,Eating, and Exercise Concerns

Men who experience eating disorders are underrepresented in the body of research into eating disorders. Even less is known about men who may experience a troubled relationship with eating and their bodies but whose reported symptoms are subclinical. How do these men understand their experiences? And what does it mean for them to locate their experiences as either problematic or within the eating disorder discourse? This study is an in-depth qualitative exploration into the experiences of a community group of six men, all of whom self-identified as being concerned with their body, eating, and exercise habits. This study provides insight into some of the ways these men constructed and understood their relationship with their eating and their bodies and negotiated their identities in relation to these difficulties. These men struggled to find a language to position their experiences as problematic and frequently engaged in processes of minimization of these problems' significance, despite the problematic effects on their lives. These processes worked as restraints for these men in seeking assistance for their struggles. These findings have implications for ways to engage men who experience these struggles through tailored prevention or treatment programs.     

“I deserve a treat”: Exercise motivation as a predictor of post-exercise dietary licensing beliefs and implicit associations toward unhealthy snacks

ObjectiveTo explore whether exercise motivation predicted two of the potential mechanisms that may explain why individuals engage in unhealthy compensatory snack consumption following exercise; specifically (a) post-exercise conscious licensing beliefs, and (b) post-exercise implicit attitudes toward unhealthy snacks.DesignObservational study.MethodOne hundred and nineteen healthy participants completed a 40-min session of moderate intensity stationary cycling, and subsequently completed measures of explicit licensing and implicit associations toward unhealthy snack foods and drinks.ResultsIndividuals driven by more controlled (relative to autonomous) forms of exercise motivation reported greater compensatory licensing beliefs (Est = −0.08, p < 0.001) even after accounting for a number of relevant covariates. No significant relationship emerged between exercise motivation and implicit associations toward unhealthy snacks (Est = 0.12, p = 0.81).ConclusionThe findings demonstrate that exercise motivation may predict conscious licensing beliefs toward unhealthy snack foods and drinks post-exercise. Understanding the modifiable factors – such as exercise motivation – that predict post-exercise dietary beliefs is important for supporting individuals’ weight loss and health goals.     

Sexuality and Exercise Motivations: Are Gay Men and Heterosexual Women Most Likely to be Motivated by Concern About Weight and Appearance?

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between sexuality and exercise motivations in 93 British bar staff. Participants who self-identified as heterosexual, gay, or lesbian completed the revised version of the Exercise Motivations Inventory and reported exercise frequency. Heterosexual men scored lower on appearance motives than did heterosexual women and gay men, higher on enjoyment motives than did gay men, and higher on competition motives than did women and gay men. Men were significantly less likely than women to be motivated by weight management. Heterosexual men also reported exercising significantly more frequently than the other three groups. Suggestions for targeted exercise promotion initiatives are discussed.