L21 - Exercise Addiction

Question 1

Can we ever do too much exercise?

Answer 1

Dysfunctional behaviour = inflexible adherence

Question 2

Define exercise addiction?

Answer 2

“A maladaptive pattern of excessive exercise behaviour that manifests in physiological, psychosocial and cognitive symptoms (Hausenblaus et al, 2002)

Question 3

What are some components of behavioural addictions (Hausenblaus)

Answer 3

• salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, personal conflict, relapse

Question 4

What are some withdrawal symptoms (Hausenblaus and Symons down, 2002)

Answer 4

• anxiety, depression, irritability, feelings of guilt and discomfort, tension, restlessness, sluggishness

Question 5

Discuss difference between primary and secondary exercise addiction?

Answer 5

• primary problems in persons life, where exercise is main objective
• secondary co-occurs with another psychological dysfunction, where weight loss is the main objective

Question 6

Discuss co-occurence ?

Answer 6

25% of people with one addiction have another addiction
Eating disorders (34-48%)
Substance abuse (smoking, drugs, alcohol - 15-20%)
Shopping addiction
Working addiction

Question 7

Discuss behavioural measurements of exercise addiction?

Answer 7

Behavioural measures - history of exercise, frequency, duration and or intensity of exercise

EAI cut offs
At risk - 24
Symptomatic 13-23
Asymptomatic 0-12

Question 8

Discuss the EDS and it’s cut off scores?

Answer 8

At risk - 5/6 on 3/7 criteria

• non dependent symptomatic - 3/4 on 3/7 criteria
• non dependent asymptomatic - 1/2 on 3/7 criteria
  1. Tolerance 2. Withdrawal 3. Intention effects 4. Lack of control 5. Time 6. Reduction in other actives 7. Continuance

Question 9

What is the prevalence of exercise addiction?

Answer 9

3-13.4% of university student samples were at high risk of exercise addiction
6.9% of British sport science students were at risk of exercise addiction

Question 10

What did Symons Downs et al (2004) find when looking at leisure time?

Answer 10

Found strenuous leisure to be considerably higher for (at - risk) than no symptomatic and no-asymptomatic

Question 11

Does personality predict symptoms of exercise dependence ??(Hausenblaus and Giaccobi,2004)

Answer 11

Neuroticism (+)
Extravertism (+)
Conscientiousness.               Exercise dependence symptoms 
Agreeableness (-) 
Openness

Question 12

Does exercise imagery use predict symptoms of exercise dependence ?

Answer 12

Appearance imagery - I imagine a leaner me from exercising
Energy imagery - to get me energised, I imagine exercising
Technique imagery - when I think about exercising, imagine doing the required movements

In females (AI and EI positively effect exercise dependence symptoms)
In males ( EI positively effect)

Question 13

Does passion predict symptoms of exercise dependence?(Vallerand 2002)

Answer 13

• a strong inclination towards a self defining activity that people like, that they find important, and in which they invest time and energy

Question 14

What are the two types of passion?

Answer 14

Harmonious passion - autonomous internalisation of the activity into the persons identity

Obsessive passions - controlled internalisation of the activity into the persons activty

Question 15

Discuss biological explanations of exercise dependence?

Answer 15

Sympathetic arousal hypothesis (Thompson and Blanton, 1987)

Regular exercise -> decreased sympathetic at rest -> physical and feeling lethargic, tired, lazy -> feeling down, negative, urge to increase Arousal -> exercise workout

Question 16

Discuss psychological explanations ?

Answer 16

Cognitive appraisal hypothesis (Szabo, 2010)

Exercise is means of coping with unbearable stress->lack of exercise means loss of the coping mechanism -> loss of control over the stressful situation -> increased actual or perceived vulnerability to stress -> psychological hardship (withdrawal) -> strong urge for exercise

Question 17

Discuss personal and environmental factors of exercise dependence??

Answer 17

Interactions model for exercise addiction (Gregory and Szabo, 2013)

See image.

Question 18

Discuss interventions for exercise dependence?

Answer 18

Prevention - increase of public awareness (risks of excessive exercise,mechanisms of exercise adaption, need for rest between sessions)

Treatments - psychotherapeutic interventions (motivational interviewing, CBT)