This review examines the effects of exercise and physical activity on the psychological well-being of older adults. Unlike most of the literature in this area, this review focuses primarily on those psychosocial outcomes that are generally positive in nature. As well as considering the overall effects of physical activity, the roles of program length, subject sex, age, physical fitness, and measurement are considered. Overall, the results of the 38 studies reviewed are overwhelmingly positive, with the majority reporting positive associations between physical activity and psychological well-being. This relationship appears to be moderated by the length of the exercise programs; longer programs consistently report more positive results. There is little evidence that exercise has differential psychological effects on men and women or on individuals of differing ages. Whereas training protocols seem to result in significant changes in physical fitness and well-being, such improvements appear to be unrelated. The review concludes with a brief discussion of possible mechanisms underlying the physical activity/psychological health relationship, and several directions are recommended for future research.
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Physical Activity, Aging, and Psychological Well-Being
Edward McAuley and David Rudolph
Sex-Related Changes in Physical Performance, Well-Being, and Neuromuscular Function of Elite Touch Players During a 4-Day International Tournament
Nick Dobbin, Cari Thorpe, Jamie Highton, and Craig Twist
cognitive perturbations associated with team sport athletes involved in congested fixtures is of interest, given the potential negative impact on players’ well-being and physical performance 5 – 7 as well as potential for increased injury risk. During a 2-day international rugby sevens competition where
Physical Activity, Mental and Personal Well-Being, Social Isolation, and Perceptions of Academic Attainment and Employability in University Students: The Scottish and British Active Students Surveys
Emily Budzynski-Seymour, Rebecca Conway, Matthew Wade, Alex Lucas, Michelle Jones, Steve Mann, and James Steele
practice. 19 Limited engagement in PA not only acts as a contributor to decreased physical health in students but also is associated with indicators of poorer mental health and well-being, increased risk of depression, and weaker cognitive functioning. 3 , 8 , 13 There is also an emerging body of evidence
Physical Education Teacher Experiences Through the Lens of a Pandemic: Putting a Spotlight on Teacher Beliefs, Practices, Emotional Fragility, and Well-Being
Kelly L. Simonton, Todd E. Layne, Boone Brown, and Keith Loupe
are to feel stress, anxiety, burnout, and reduced well-being overall ( Richards et al., 2017 ; Taxer & Frenzel, 2015 ), which subsequently reduces their ability to educate all students effectively. This is a major area of consideration for research as a motivated and emotionally stable workforce is
A Combined Sleep Hygiene and Mindfulness Intervention to Improve Sleep and Well-Being During High-Performance Youth Tennis Tournaments
Jonathon R. Lever, Alistair P. Murphy, Rob Duffield, and Hugh H.K. Fullagar
athletic populations, 14 , 23 the conflicting evidence of its effect on performance, well-being, and anxiety requires further investigation, particularly in junior athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a week-long combined SH and mindfulness intervention during
Adherence to the Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines by Infants and Toddlers and Its Association With Well-Being
Guan Yuan Loh, Terence Buan Kiong Chua, Kok Hian Tan, Benny Kai Guo Loo, Phaik Ling Quah, and Michael Yong Hwa Chia
on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep , while 12.6% did not meet any of the guidelines. Four in 10 preschool children met 2 guidelines, while 37.4% met 1 guideline. 5 Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a measure of well-being which researchers and pediatricians have often
Youth Sport Coaches’ Well-Being Across the Season: The Psychological Costs and Benefits of Giving Empowering and Disempowering Sports Coaching to Athletes
Bård Erlend Solstad, Andreas Ivarsson, Ellen Merethe Haug, and Yngvar Ommundsen
Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000 , 2012 ; Ryan & Deci, 2017 ), a growing body of empirical work in sport psychology has indicated that the giving of autonomy-supportive sports coaching to athletes is related to the coach’s experience of improved well-being and
Association Between Sexual Violence Experiences and Well-Being and Risk for Depression in Elite Athletes Depends on the Context of the Incidents
Jeannine Ohlert, Thea Rau, and Marc Allroggen
, the aim of the current study was to examine the association between sexual violence experiences and symptoms of depression and well-being in athletes. It was also hoped that the study might further our understanding about the influence of two contextual factors of the incidents, namely experiences of
Well-Being in Elite Sport: Dimensions of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being Among Elite Orienteers
Carolina Lundqvist and Fredrik Sandin
This study examined subjective (SWB), psychological (PWB) and social well-being (Social WB) at a global and sport contextual level among ten elite orienteers (6 women and 4 men, median age = 20.4, range 18–30) by employing semistructured interviews. Athletes described SWB as an interplay of satisfaction with life, sport experiences and perceived health combined with experienced enjoyment and happiness in both ordinary life and sport. SWB and PWB interacted, and important psychological functioning among the elite athletes included, among other things, abilities to adopt value-driven behaviors, be part of functional relationships, and to self-regulate one’s autonomy. The ability to organize and combine ordinary life with elite sport, and the use of strategies to protect the self during setbacks was also emphasized. For a comprehensive theoretical understanding of well-being applicable to elite athletes, the need for a holistic view considering both global and sport-specific aspects of WB is discussed.
Impact of a 6-Day Official Tournament on Physical Demands, Perceptual–Physiological Responses, Well-Being, and Game Performance of Under-18 Basketball Players
Franc García, Julen Castellano, Jordi Vicens-Bordas, Jairo Vázquez-Guerrero, and Davide Ferioli
exertion [RPE]) would reflect the player’s reaction to the imposed stimulus. 2 In implementing a holistic, multifaceted monitoring system, measurement of perceptual well-being is also advocated alongside assessment of PL in team sport environments. 3 Understanding the changes in these parameters can
