Self-Motivation Moderates Effect of Exercise-Induced Feelings on Adherence

The effect of cardiovascular exercise-induced feeling state changes on exercise program attendance was assessed with mixed-sex, adult new exercisers (N = 72) using the Exercise-induced Feeling Inventory. Positive/Nonpositive patterns of after-exercise affective change were not significantly associated with attendance. When participants' scores on the Self-motivation Inventory of 1980 were analyzed, a significant portion of the variance in attendance (R2 = .10, F = 3.94, p<.03) was explained. A similar, but not significant R2 of .077 was noted when the single Exercise-induced Feeling Inventory subscale of Physical Exhaustion was assessed using the same multiple regression method. Implications for adherence of new exercisers and its dependence on self-motivation and exercise-induced changes in feeling states were discussed. The need to replicate findings across various types of participant, exercise, and setting was emphasized.