The use of the processes of change across the exercise stages of change and across varying intensities and frequencies of exercise behavior

Abstract

Purpose: Determine the use of the processes of change (POC) across the exercise stages of change and across varying intensities and frequencies of exercise behavior.

Design: Cross-sectional design.

Setting: University setting.

Subjects: Questionnaires were collected from 699 college-aged individuals.

Measures: Data were collected for exercise stages of change, POC and exercise behavior. Self-report exercise data were categorized as 0 days, 1 to 2 days, and 3 or more days per week of moderate and vigorous exercise.

Analysis: MANOVA assessed differences in the use of the 10 POC across the stages of change and across varying frequencies of moderate and vigorous exercise behavior.

Results: Results showed all 10 POC were significant between the exercise stages of change and differing frequencies of moderate and vigorous exercise behavior. Post hoc analysis identified 7 significant processes between adjacent exercise stages of change, 10 significant processes between differing frequencies of moderate exercise behavior, and 9 significant processes between differing frequencies of vigorous exercise behavior.

Conclusions: The results for this study suggest that intensity and frequency may be factors in the use of the POC. The use of the POC showed a linear increase across stage, which deviates from the proposed Transtheoretical Model framework and previous research. Additional investigation into the processes and stages of change, and their role in changing exercise behavior is needed.