exploration of exercise motivation and adherence among individuals living with cancer following participation in a structured group-based exercise program
abstract
background/objectives: previous literature has found that exercise participation for
individuals living with cancer has a multitude of benefits and is recommended for rehabilitation
following cancer treatment. it has been suspected that more of these benefits may be obtained
in a structured group-based exercise program due to the safe environment and support from
instructors/group members. exploration utilizing the self-determination theory was used to
determine differences in exercise participation immediate versus long-term post participation in
a structured group-based program. furthermore, fulfillment of the basic psychological needs
(autonomy, competence, relatedness) was assessed to determine different factors that
influence motivation over time. method: for both phase one and phase two of this study 10
semi-structured interviews were conducted with women aged 37 years and older, living with
cancer, and who were recruited from a structured group-based exercise program. all
participants completed the medical history assessment form which gathered information
regarding lifestyle factors and general health. using nvivo and the basic psychological needs
as a theoretical framework exercise motivation was explored for both phase one and phase
two. results: according to participants interviewed immediate post program (phase one),
fulfillment of autonomy, competence, and relatedness was achieved while participating in a
structured group-based exercise program. participants indicated that the safe and comfortable
atmosphere, as well as the support from the group played an important role in fostering their
motivation towards exercise. those participants interviewed long-term post program (phase
two) had varied outcomes. four participants continued exercise in a structured group-based
exercise program and indicated that fulfillment of the basic psychological needs still remained
present and impacted their adherence to exercise. the remaining participants had significantly
lower levels of exercise participation and indicated a variety of barriers (e.g., injury, retirement)
influencing exercise engagement. the lack of group support negatively impacted exercise
outcomes for the less active individuals in this phase. conclusion: the findings revealed that
exercise in a structured group-based exercise program may provide more of the benefits
associated with exercise for individuals living with cancer. fulfillment of all three basic
psychological needs did impact exercise motivation, which was evident for those who continued
exercise over time. further investigation into the role of the needs and long-term exercise
participation for individuals living with cancer is necessary to gain a better perspective on how
exercise programs can be modified appropriately for this population.
collections
related items
showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
using exercise based interventions for the treatment of cancer related fatigue: a meta analysis
mcmillan, elliott (2009)background: cancer related fatigue (crf) is recognized as the most prevalent and distressing symptom affecting cancer patients and survivors. although the of crf is a new field of research, many studies have investigated ... -
do you care2talk? examining an online approach to psychosocial support for young adults with cancer / by liane s. kandler.
kandler, liane s. (2010)cancer in young adulthood is unique in that there are clear biological, epidemiological, and etiological differences attributed to this age frame (bleyer, 2002; canadian cancer statistics, 2007; cancer in young adults in ... -
changing medical understandings of cervical cancer and the development of screening programs in post-war ontario
hadenko, mandy lee (2004)the history of cervical cancer has been a marginalised and neglected facet of medical history in canada. my thesis examines changing understandings of the disease over the past 100 years, and, in particular, the rising ...