Exercise In Emerging Adults: Health Action Process Approach Correlates And Barriers

The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) Model suggests the adoption, initiation, and maintenance of health behaviors (bx) must be conceived of at least having a motivation, and a volition phase. About 34% of adults 18-24 years are meeting the recommendations for both aerobic (AE) and resistance exercise (RE), there is a need to investigate perceived barriers and social-cognitive correlates of exercise to inform behavior change interventions. PURPOSE: Explore the relationships between Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) constructs and weekly minutes of AE and RE. METHODS: Participants completed an online survey estimating weekly minutes of AE and RE, as well as Action Self-efficacy (SE), Outcome Expectancies, Intention, Maintenance SE, Action Planning, Coping Planning, Action Control, and perceived barriers to exercise. Descriptive statistics of all study measures were calculated. Bivariate correlations were analyzed between AE, RE, and HAPA constructs. RESULTS: 146 undergraduate college students (Mage=21±4 years, 64% female, 72% upperclassmen) completed the survey. The average weekly minutes of AE was 200±192. There were no significant correlations between HAPA constructs and AE (p>0.05). The average weekly minutes of RE was 199±197. RE was significantly correlated with Action SE (M=3.19±0.83, r=0.22, p=.007), Intention (M=3.24±0.84, r=0.21, p=.011), Maintenance SE (M=2.69±0.86, r=0.52, p<.001), Action Planning (M=2.53±1.18, r=0.38, p<.001), Coping Planning (M=2.13±1.08, r=0.38, p<.001), and Action Control (M=2.42±1.23, r=0.35, p<0.001). The majority (55.5%) of respondents ranked time management as the greatest barrier to exercise participation, whereas 79.5% ranked cost/accessibility as the least critical barrier. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, significant relationships may exist between select social-cognitive constructs and RE in emerging adults warranting future investigation into the utility of considering these constructs as modifiable targets for intervention.