Some like It Vigorous: Measuring Individual Differences in the Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity

Abstract

Individuals differ in the intensity of exercise they prefer and the intensity they can tolerate. The purpose of this project was to develop a measure of individual differences in the preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity. The steps involved in (a) item generation and face validation, (b) exploratory factor analysis and item selection, (c) structural validation, (d) examination of the internal consistency and test-retest reliability, (e) concurrent validation, and (f) construct validation are described. The Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire (PRETIE-Q) is a 16-item, 2-factor measure that exhibits acceptable psychometric properties and can be used in research aimed at understanding individual differences in responses to exercise and thus the psychological processes involved in the public health problem of exercise dropout.

Self-reported tolerance influences prefrontal cortex hemodynamics and affective responses

“…It is proposed that tolerance influences affective responses through cognitive processes in the PFC (Ekkekakis et al, 2005). Consistent with the dual-mode model, sensory input to the body is biologically hard-wired; however, the perception and modulation of the interoceptive input by the PFC may be influenced by predisposed traits.…”

“…The identification of preference and tolerance as dispositional traits is supported by no change in these scores after a 6-week training program that resulted in improvements in physical fitness (Hall, Petruzzello, Ekkekakis, Miller, & Bixby, 2014). Conceptual validation of the scales (Ekkekakis et al, 2005) showed that neither preference nor tolerance was associated with affective responses reported during exercise at intensities below VT. However, both scales were positively associated with affective responses at VT, but only the tolerance scale related to affective responses above VT (Ekkekakis et al, 2005;Ekkekakis, Lind, Hall, & Petruzzello, 2007).…”

“…Conceptual validation of the scales (Ekkekakis et al, 2005) showed that neither preference nor tolerance was associated with affective responses reported during exercise at intensities below VT. However, both scales were positively associated with affective responses at VT, but only the tolerance scale related to affective responses above VT (Ekkekakis et al, 2005;Ekkekakis, Lind, Hall, & Petruzzello, 2007). Therefore, a higher tolerance was associated with a more positive affective response at intensities of exercise above the VT, which is predominantly aversive or negative (Ekkekakis et al, 2011).…”

“…Individuals with high tolerance would report less-negative affective responses than those with low tolerance. In addition, individuals with high tolerance may exercise for longer at an imposed level of intensity (i.e., above VT) that is uncomfortable or unpleasant (Ekkekakis et al, 2005;Ekkekakis et al, 2007).…”

“…The Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity Questionnaire (PRETIE-Q) is an inventory created to assess arousability and sensory-modulation-related traits for interoceptive (as opposed to exteroceptive) stimuli (see Ekkekakis, Hall, & Petruzzello, 2005, for full details). The authors define preference as Ba predisposition to select a particular level of exercise intensity when given the opportunity^(p. 354), and tolerance as Ba trait that influences one's ability to continue exercising at an imposed level of intensity even when the activity becomes uncomfortable or unpleasant^(p. 354).…”