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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Description
Commitment to an activity is widely studied in leisure research. Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) describes characteristics a committed activity participant possesses. The Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) describes the psychological process a person goes through to become committed to a leisure activity. Awareness, attraction, attachment and loyalty make of the four stages of PCM. Both perspectives have been used to describe committed leisure activity participants and commitment to organized recreational events. Research on leisure activity has yet to determine how the individual becomes loyal. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the process in which recreation activity participates becomes loyal and to identify who can be labels as serious within the PCM Framework. Data was obtained from an online electronic survey distributed to participants of four U.S. marathon and half marathon events. A total of 579 responses were used in the final analysis. Path analysis determined the process in which a runner becomes committed. MANOVA is used to determine difference between leisure groups in the four stages of PCM. Results indicate that activity participants need to go through all four stages of PCM before becoming loyal. As knowledge increases, individuals are more motivated to participate. When the activity satisfies motives and becomes a reflection of their identity, feelings become stronger which results in loyalty. Socialization is instrumental to the progression through the PCM Framework. Additionally, attachment is the "bottleneck" in which all loyal activity participants my pass through. Differences exist between serious leisure groups in the attachment and loyalty stages. Those that are `less serious' are not as committed to the activity as their counterparts.
ContributorsMurphey, Elizabeth M (Author) / Lee, Woojin (Thesis advisor) / Hultsman, Wendy (Thesis advisor) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Chisum, Jack (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
The gold standard for bone measurement is DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). Typically, to observe changes in bone by DXA, a minimum of a 4-month intervention is required. Serum osteocalcin (OST) (a bone formation marker) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus can be used as indicators of bone change but the sensitivity and time course of these indices to short term interventions are unknown. The purpose of this study was twofold: to compare monthly changes in OST and QUS in response to jump training and to evaluate the relationship between DXA, OST and QUS. Young women with QUS t-scores less than 1.0 were randomized into a jump training (J) (n=16) or control (C) (n=16). J consisted of a progressive routine of 1 and 2-footed jumping performed 3 days per week for 4 months. Body composition, QUS and OST were measured at baseline, and monthly for 4 months. DXA and 24-hour dietary recalls were completed at baseline and 4 months. Low attrition rate (12.5%) and high compliance (98%) with the exercise intervention was recorded. No significant correlations between QUS and OST existed. No significant differences were observed between groups at baseline in body composition or bone variables. Monthly increases in OST were observed but there were no significant differences over time between groups in any bone variables. OST and QUS may be indicative of short term bone changes but these variables were not specifically sensitive to the jumping intervention in this population of women.
ContributorsHeumann, Kristin Joelle (Author) / Swan, Pamela D (Thesis advisor) / Alvar, Brent (Committee member) / Chisum, Jack (Committee member) / Lee, Chong (Committee member) / Vaughan, Linda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Introduction: Several faith-based or faith-placed programs have focused on the physical dimension of wellness in efforts to improve health by increasing physical activity and improving diet behaviors. However, these programs were not designed to intervene on the mental dimension of wellness which is critical for stress reduction and health behavior change. Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a spirituality-based stress reduction and health behavior change intervention using the Spiritual Framework of Coping (SFC) model. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental one group pretest posttest design. The study was a total of eight weeks conducted at a non-denominational Christian church. Participants were recruited from the church through announcements and flyers. The Optimal Health program met once a week for 1.5 hours with weekly phone calls during an additional four week follow-up period. Feasibility was assessed by the acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, integration, and limited efficacy of the program. Analysis: Frequencies for demographics were assessed. Statistical analyses of feasibility objectives were assessed by frequencies and distribution of responses to feasibility evaluations. Limited efficacy of pretest and posttest measures were conducted using paired t-test (p <.05). Results: The Optimal Health Program was positively accepted by participants. The demand for the program was shown with average attendance of 78.7%. The program was successfully implemented as shown by meeting session objectives and 88% homework completion. The program was both practical for the intended participants and was successfully integrated within the existing environment. Limited efficacy changes within the program were mostly non-significant. Conclusion: This study tested the feasibility of implementing the Optimal Health program that specifically targeted the structural components of the Spiritual Framework of Coping Model identified to create meaning making and enhance well-being. This program may ultimately be used to help individuals improve and balance the spiritual, mental, and physical dimensions of wellness. However, length of study and limited efficacy measures will need to be reevaluated for program success.
ContributorsWalker, Jenelle R (Author) / Swan, Pamela (Thesis advisor) / Ainsworth, Barbara (Committee member) / Chisum, Jack (Committee member) / Fleury, Julie (Committee member) / Hooker, Steven (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The purpose of the Oculus Exercise research project we conducted was to find a way to entice individuals to attend a gym more often and for longer periods of time. We have found that many activities are being augmented by the increasingly popular virtual reality technology, and within that space "gamifying" the activity seems to attract more users. Given the idea of making activities more entertaining to users through "gamification", we decided to incorporate virtual reality, using the Oculus Rift, to immerse users within a simulated environment to potentially drive the factors previously identified in respect to gym utilization. To start, we surveyed potential users to gauge potential interest in virtual reality and its usage in physical exercise. Based on the initial responses, we saw that there was a definite interest in "gamifying" physical exercises using virtual reality, and proceeded to design a prototype using Unreal Engine 4 -- which is an engine for creating high quality video games with support for virtual reality -- to experiment how it would affect a standard workout routine. After considering several options, we decided to move forward with designing our prototype to augment a spin machine with virtual reality due to its common usage within a gym, and the consistent cardiovascular exercise it entails, as well as the safety intrinsic to it being a mostly stationary device. By analyzing the results of a survey after experimenting upon a user test group, we can begin to correlate the benefits and the drawbacks of using virtual reality in physical exercise, and the feasibility of doing so.
ContributorsCarney, Nicholas (Co-author) / West, Andrew (Co-author) / Dobkins, Jacob (Co-author) / Amresh, Ashish (Thesis director) / Gray, Robert (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This study examines the effect of exercise therapy on a stationary bike on cognitive function, specifically inhibition and set-switching, in adolescents with Down syndrome. 44 participants were randomly divided between the voluntary cycling therapy group (VCT) (i.e., self-selected cadence), assisted cycling therapy group (ACT) (i.e., 30% faster than self-selected cadence accomplished by a motor), and a control group (NC) in which the participants did not undergo any exercise therapy. Both cycling groups rode a stationary bicycle, for 30 minutes, three times a week, for eight-weeks. At the beginning (i.e., pretest) and end (i.e., posttest) of the eight-week session the participants completed tasks to evaluate their cognitive function. They completed three trials of the card sort test (i.e., set-switching) and three trials of the knock-tap test (i.e, inhibition) before and after eight-weeks of cycling therapy. The scores of these tests were analyzed using one-way ANOVA between groups and paired samples t-tests. The results showed that after eight-weeks of cycling therapy the participants in the VCT group performed worse in the knock-tap test, but improved in two trials of the card sort test. The results also showed that the participants in the ACT group performed worse after eight-weeks of exercise therapy in one trial of the card sort test. No significant changes were seen for the control group. Due to the fact that on average the participants in the VCT group cycled with a higher heart rate, our results suggest exercise that significantly elevates heart rate can improve cognitive function, specifically set-switching, in adolescents with Down syndrome.
ContributorsBenson, Alicia Meigh (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Amazeen, Eric (Committee member) / Maraj, Brian (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This study examined the effect of an 8-week exercise intervention on functional exercise capacity in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). Forty participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: assisted cycling (ACT) (n = 17) where participants experienced at least a 35% increase in their voluntary cycling speed through the use of a motor, voluntary cycling (VC) (n = 15) where participants cycled at a self-selected cadence, and no cycling (NC) (n = 8) where participants did not participate in any cycling intervention. In each cycling intervention, each participant completed three, 30 minute cycling sessions per week for a total of eight weeks. The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) was administered prior to and after the 8-week intervention in pre-test and post-test assessment sessions, respectively. Our hypothesis was somewhat supported in that functional exercise capacity improved after ACT as measured by an increase in total number of laps walked, total distance walked, and average walking speed during the 6MWT, when compared to VC or NC.
ContributorsCook, Megan Rey (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Huberty, Jennifer (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Exercise is a great boon to both the health of individuals and the national as a whole. Exercise provides a wide range of significant and well established benefits to both physical and psychological health, with many benefits that are still being discovered. The effects of exercise on health are somewhat unique, as exercise is one of a limited number of ways to improve health that is not harm a reduction strategy, but instead increases health through direct benefit, rather than increasing health by decreasing damage and harm. Support is also given to the proposal that individuals are in best position to determine the intensity of exercise and to choose primary activities to participate in, in order to provide near maximum physical and psychological benefit, with the understanding that frequency of exercise is of the upmost importance for benefit. The accessibility of exercise and the tremendous health benefit of exercise, makes exercise a huge asset in reducing the exorbitant health care spending and improving mediocre health outcomes in this country; a reasonable goal as numerous countries have better health the United States, even though the United States spends the more than any other country on health.
ContributorsRael, Ashur Scott (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Contributor) / School of Film, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This research study examined the effects of assisted cycling using a stationary recumbent bicycle that had an internal motor to help participants pedal at a desired cadence. The participants were either placed in an Assisted Cycling (AC), Voluntary Cycling (VC), or No Cycling (NC) intervention group. Those placed in the AC of VC groups then came to a laboratory setting 3 days a week for 8 weeks to cycle for 30 minutes. This research specifically analyzes the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale II to analyze the changes in daily living skills and maladaptive behaviors pre and post the exercise intervention. After analyzing the VABS II scores it was found that those in the VC intervention had statistically significant improvements in maladaptive behaviors. An interpretation of this finding is that the VC intervention had an increased heart rate over the span of the intervention and had a larger power output than those in the AC group. A limitation of this research is that it was a self-reported questionnaire that was given to the caregivers of the participant. The caregivers were not always controlled for, so in some cases two different caregivers were given the questionnaire for a single participant. A suggestion for future research would be to use the participant's mental age versus their chronological age when using the VABS-II and to use the Adaptive Behaviors Assessment System III (ABAS-III).
ContributorsJenkins, Cayla Marie (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Kulinna, Pamela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Adaptive behavior consists of the social, conceptual and practical skills an individual must execute to function independently in their everyday life. Individuals with Down syndrome have limitations in their adaptive behavior due to cognitive and physical deficits. The aim of this study was to examine if an exercise program would improve the adaptive behavior skills in persons with Down syndrome. The exercise intervention, Exercise for Adults with Down Syndrome (ExDS), was a semester long program where adults with Down syndrome participate in twice weekly workouts planned and executed by Arizona State University students. The workouts consisted of an aerobic warm up, aerobic exercises, resistance exercises, balance exercises and stretches. The participants' adaptive behavior and cognitive planning ability were assessed before ExDS and after ExDS. The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System Second Edition (ABAS-II) was used to measure adaptive behavior. The ABAS-II consisted of a forum that addressed the Social, Conceptual and Practical domains of adaptive behavior and was filled out by the participants' caregiver. The Tower of London (ToL) was used to measure cognitive planning ability. The change in the ABAS-II scores from pre- to post-testing were statistically insignificant. The change from pre- to post-testing in the ToL scores approached statistical significance. Limitations included bias caregiver perception and respondent inconsistency. There is a need for further research on the effect of exercise on the adaptive behavior in adults with Down syndrome.
ContributorsRoss, Alexandra Jill (Author) / Holzapfel, Simon (Thesis director) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
About 75% of men and 66.58% of women are considered overweight or obese (BMI ≥25). $117 billion dollars is spent each year in medical costs due to physical inactivity. Aerobic exercise has been well defined in its’ benefits to cardiovascular health; however, the effects of resistance training are still not well defined. The purpose of this preliminary analysis was to evaluate the vascular health effects (central and peripheral blood pressure and VO2 max) of two different types of resistance training programs: high load, low repetitions resistance training and low load, high repetitions resistance training. Fourteen participants aged 18-55 years (6 males, 8 females) were involved in this preliminary analysis. Data were collected before and after the 12-week long exercise program (36 training sessions) via pulse wave analysis and VO2peak testing. Multivariate regression analysis of training program effects, while adjusting for body mass index and time, did not result in significant training effects on central and peripheral diastolic blood pressure, nor VO2peak. A statistical trend was observed between the different training programs for systolic blood pressure, suggesting that subjects partaking in the high load, low repetitions program exhibited higher systolic blood pressures than the low load, high repetitions group. With a larger sample size, the difference in systolic blood pressure may increase between training program groups and indicate that greater loads with minimal repetitions may increase lead to clinically significant elevations in blood pressure. Further work is needed to uncover the relationship between different types of resistance training and blood pressure, especially if these lifting regimens are continued for longer lengths of time.
ContributorsHill, Cody Alan (Co-author) / Hill, Cody (Co-author) / Whisner, Corrie (Thesis director) / Angadi, Siddhartha (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05