‘I feel totally at one, totally alive and totally happy’: a psycho-social explanation of the physical activity and mental health relationship

Abstract

This paper reports findings from a qualitative investigation into the relationship between physical activity and mental health from the experiences of participants on exercise referral schemes. A grounded theory methodology was adopted which used focus groups and semi-structured interviews with participants from three exercise referral schemes in England. Schemes were representative of different types within the UK, and included a local authority leisure centre, a private health club and a local authority leisure centre scheme with organized countryside hikes. Pre- and post-exercise referral intervention focus groups, and interviews with purposively sampled individuals, were undertaken. Eighteen people participated and interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed. A conceptual framework emerged, and provides a psycho-social explanation for the physical activity and mental health relationship from the perspectives of the participants' who experienced it. The explanation of the relationship from this perspective identifies the core category 'self-acceptance', and the importance and interrelationship of context-related factors (such as social support and the physical environment), for the elicitation of positive experiences for people on exercise referral schemes. Investigating participant's experiences within the social contexts of exercise referral schemes provides an understanding about whether schemes have the potential to influence the mental health of referred patients.

Exercise, service and support: client experiences of physical activity referral schemes (PARS)

“…These findings extend the related literature (e.g. Crone et al, 2005, Isaacs et al, 2007and Williams et al, 2007 concerning the nature of the relationship between staff and clients, forcing such professionals to seriously re-consider the importance of client expectation and perception in terms of their competence, experience and professionalism.…”

“…The findings we have presented offer a radically different perspective on client expectation and perception than has been frequently reported elsewhere (e.g. Crone et al, 2005;Crone, Johnston, Gidlow, Henley and James, 2008;O'Sullivan et al, 2010;Stathi et al, 2004). Our findings demonstrate that client perceptions of professional competence may constitute an inherent problem for PARS; that is, clients appear to draw confidence from both the procedures and knowledge of the wider medical community and, to this end, it is imperative that Scheme Organisers (and those who work with them) maintain a professional approach to their work in order to provide on-going reassurances to a client group who frequently encounter a sense of anxiety and vulnerability as a consequence of their medical conditions and circumstances.…”

Social Support for and Through Exercise and Sport in a Sample of Men with Serious Mental Illness

“…Social support is also an important factor in successful exercise initiation and maintenance among the general population as well as people referred to exercise programmes on the basis of physical health concerns (Crone, Smith, & Gough, 2005). Among people with serious mental illness, the provision of adequate social support has been documented as a fundamental requirement for initiation and sustained participation (Carless, 2007).…”

Optimal Level of Participation in Sport Activities According to Gender and Age can be Associated with Higher Resilience: Study of Lithuanian Adolescents

“…Kirkcaldy et al (2002) carried out a cross-sectional research and investigated a sample of 988 adolescents; according to the data obtained, regular practice of endurance exercises can be related to a more favorable self-image, the type of personality that tends to be resistant to drug and alcohol addiction, scores for psychological and physical well-being (characterized by lower scores of anxiety-depression and exhaustion), as well as the characteristics of social involvement and interaction, indicating that positive social feedback/recognition from peer groups can in turn improve an individual's self-image. Crone, Smith, and Gough (2005) reported findings from a quantitative investigation of a focus group that consisted of 18 mentally healthy adult participants and provided a conceptual framework of a psychosocial explanation for the relationship between physical activity and mental health where the core category is self-acceptance (self-assurance, confidence) including the factors of the context in which people exercise (social network and support, the physical environment, culture) that are important aspects of the exercising experience that can help to forecast whether exercise referral schemes have potential to influence mental health. Biddle and Mutrie (2008, p. XIV) in the preface of their book noticed the ''increase in the study of physical activity and health from a psychological point of view which can be illustrated by the number of metaanalytic reviews in the subfield of physical activity and mental health.''…”