The Effects of a Running Intervention on the Physical Self-Concept of Obese Novice Adult Female Runners
in Women in Sport and Physical Activity JournalClick name to view affiliation
The purpose of the study was to assess changes in multidimensional physical self-concept (PSC) over time of novice obese female runners participating in a 10-week running intervention. Multidimensional Physical Self-Concept was assessed at pre- and postintervention times and 3 months postintervention. A repeated measures MANOVA was significant, F (2, 7) = 8.82, p < .05. Follow-up tests indicated that 4 of the 9 PSCs significantly changed from Time 1 to Time 2 (p < .05) in the expected directions for physical activity (t = -2.45; h2 = 1.0), body fat (t = Ò3.21; h2 = 0.78), endurance (t = -3.75; h2 = 0.90), and general physical (t = -2.36; h2 = 0.99) self-concepts and these positive changes were maintained 3 months later at Time 3. We found that a 10-week running program appeared to produce positive changes in physical self-concept. Importantly, these positive changes were sustained for 3 months past the end of the intervention. These findings suggest that women running programs may be a viable way to increase physical self-concept, and sustain such positive changes in months following.
Byrd and Martin are with Kinesiology, Health, and Sport Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Hew-Butler is with Exercise Science, Oakland University, Auburn Hills, Michigan.
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