Research suggests that exercise has beneficial effects on the psychologi cal well-being o f individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Most studies on exercise and mental health have focused on aerobic exercise with moder ately psychiatrically disturbed individuals. This study examined the effects o f anaerobic exercise (weight lifting) on the psychological well-being o f individuals with serious psychiatric disabilities.Five female clients in a psychosocial rehabilitation program participat ed in weight lifting classes for eight weeks. All reported improvement in physical and psychological well-being. Clients demonstrated significant improvement in objective measures o f strength and endurance.

This study explored whether body-image distortion is a function of difficulties with imagery or problems with judgment. 49 subjects were given the Modified Video Camera Technique to measure body-image distortion. Mental imagery was measured by a modified version of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire and the Spatial Relations subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery. Visual recall was assessed on the Meier Art Judgment Test. Judgment bias was assessed by the Stunkard Silhouette Method and the shape and weight subscales of the Eating Disorder Examination. Subjects who distorted body-image scored significantly more poorly on mental imagery than those who did not distort. No differences were found between groups on visual memory recall or in judgment bias.

P. Auchus received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Long Island University, N.Y. in 1992. She completed an internship and a post-doctoral fellow ship in psychology at Emory University and is also a certified fitness instructor and involved in professional exercise organizations. Her research interests are in the effects of exercise on mental health. Recently she conducted a clinical research study examining the effect of weight lifting on the psychological well-being of seri ously disabled psychiatric clients.

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