Fitness-related self-conscious emotions and risk for exercise addiction: examining the mediating role of passion

Fitness-related self-conscious emotions (SCEs) have been proposed as antecedents of exercise addiction (EA). However, the potential mechanisms underlying such a relationship remain unexplored. The present study examined the relationship between fitness-related SCEs and risk of EA, as well as the mediating role of passion for exercise. A total of 296 male runners (M = 40.35 years, SD = 10.69) completed a survey assessing weekly exercise frequency/hours, fitness-related SCEs, passion for exercise, and the risk of EA. The relationships between the study variables were examined using structural equation modeling. After controlling for age and weekly exercise frequency/hours, fitness-related SCEs of shame, guilt, and hubristic pride were positively associated with risk of EA. However, while guilt had direct effects on risk of EA, shame and hubristic pride showed indirect effects via obsessive passion. The results of the study are discussed, and some practical implications and future research directions are presented

Entanglement of excited states in critical spin chians

Renyi and von Neumann entropies quantifying the amount of entanglement in ground states of critical spin chains are known to satisfy a universal law which is given by the Conformal Field Theory (CFT) describing their scaling regime. This law can be generalized to excitations described by primary fields in CFT, as was done in reference (Alcaraz et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 201601 (2011)), of which this work is a completion. An alternative derivation is presented, together with numerical verifications of our results in different models belonging to the c=1,1/2 universality classes. Oscillations of the Renyi entropy in excited states and descendant fields are also discussed.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

Effects of pubertal timing and pubertal tempo on social physique anxiety, self-determined motivation, and exercise in early adolescent girls

Purpose: Research has shown that there is a decrease in physical activity levels during early adolescence, especially for girls. Previous studies have shown that the social physique anxiety (SPA) may be a controlling factor influencing exercise motivation and engagement in this behavior; however, the potential role that puberty plays in this decrease has not been considered until now. The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of pubertal timing and pubertal tempo on SPA and exercise motivation and behavior. Methods: Data from 328 early adolescent girls, aged between 9 and 12 at the time of joining the study, were collected in 3 waves over a 2-year period. Using structural equation modeling techniques, different 3-time-point growth models were estimated to examine if earlier maturing and compressed maturing in girls had differential effects on SPA and exercise motivation and behavior. Results: The results from growth analyses suggest that early maturing (according to all the pubertal indicators considered, except menstruation) tends to translate into (1) an increase in SPA levels and (2) a decrease in exercise - in the latter case, by reducing self-determined motivation. However, no differential effects from any of the pubertal indicators were found for compressed maturing in girls. Discussion: These results highlight the need for increased efforts toward developing programs aimed at helping early maturing girls to cope with the challenges of puberty with a particular focus on SPA experiences and exercise motivation and behavior

Psychometric properties of problematic exercise measures: a systematic review

The present study summarized, compared, and critically appraised the methodological quality of the most used self-report measures assessing problematic exercise (PE) (i.e. CES, CET, EAI, EDQ, EDS, OEQ). A pre-registered systematic review was conducted in accordance with the 2018 COSMIN criteria and PRISMA methodology. Six electronic databases were searched for studies developing, validating and/or testing the psychometric properties of the psychometric instruments. Data from 48 studies comprising the six original instruments and their eight modified versions were included. The methodological quality (risk-bias) of the development studies of all 14 instruments was rated as ‘inadequate’. Limited evidence base in support of most of the measurement properties under examination was found, with the most relevant being that concerning content validity. Findings call into question (i) the accuracy and usefulness of the body of evidence obtained by employing these instruments, and (ii) the advisability of persisting with its use, at least until the issues identified in the present study have been adequately addressed. Obtaining further evidence on the measurement properties of existing self-report PE instruments as well as providing them in early stages of development for those to be proposed in the future should be a priority for research in this field

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the relationship between body dissatisfaction and morbid exercise behaviour

Background: The present study aimed to quantify the relationship between body dissatisfaction and morbid exercise behaviour (MEB). Methods: The electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, SciELO, and Dissertations and Theses Global were searched from inception to September 2020. Pooled effect sizes corrected for sampling errors (r +) were computed using a bare-bones meta-analysis. The robustness of the results was examined by influence analyses. The presence of moderators was examined by inspection of the variance in r + attributable to sampling errors and 80% credibility intervals, followed by subgroup analysis and univariable/multivariable meta-regressions. Publication bias was examined by visual inspection of funnel plot symmetry, cumulative meta-analysis, and Egger's test. Results: A total of 41 effect sizes from 33 studies (n = 8747) were retrieved. Results showed a significant and near to moderate effect size (r + = 0.267, 95% CI = 0.226 to 0.307), and this did not differ by gender, BMI, age, percentage of Whites, study quality, or MEB measure. Conversely, effect sizes were found to be stronger in published and more recently conducted studies. Conclusion: The findings indicate that body dissatisfaction is one of the likely causes underlying MEB. This suggests the need for further longitudinal research aimed at confirming the potential causal nature of this relationship

An exploratory examination of the relationship between symptoms of depression and exercise addiction among undergraduate recreational exercisers

Research has consistently demonstrated an association between depressive disorders and behavioral addictions. However, the relationship between depression and exercise addiction has rarely been investigated. The present study examined the relationship between self-reported depression and exercise addiction symptoms. A sample of 691 Spanish undergraduate leisure exercisers (59% males; Mage = 21.25 years; SDage = 2.94) completed a self-report survey. Two regression analyses employing a maximum likelihood robust estimation method were conducted controlling for the effects of age, gender, BMI, perceived health status, exercise frequency, and risk of eating disorders. In the first regression analysis, depression symptoms (β = .275) explained a significant amount of variance in exercise addiction symptoms (33%). In the second regression analysis, exercise addiction symptoms (β = .320) explained a significant amount of variance in depression symptoms (22%). Symptoms of depression and exercise addiction may simultaneously occur among leisure exercisers. These findings suggest the need for further longitudinal research examining the temporal patterns and directionality between depression and exercise addiction

Theoretical conceptualisations of problematic exercise in psychometric assessment instruments: a systematic review

Background and aims: The aim of the present systematic review was to identify psychometric tools developed to assess problematic exercise in order to identify and compare their theoretical con-ceptualisations on which they are based. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases Web of Science, Scielo, PsychINFO, PsycTEST and SCOPUS from their inception to January 2020. Results: Seventeen assessment instruments met the eligibility criteria to be included in the present review. The instruments were classified according to their conceptualisation into five groups: (i) problematic exercise as an end of an exercise continuum, (ii) problematic exercise as a means of regulating body size and weight, (iii) problematic exercise as dependence, (iv) problematic exercise as a behavioural addiction and (v) no clear conceptualisation. Discussion: The results suggest that the conceptualisations of the assessment instruments have resulted in a strong dichotomy in relation to the primary or secondary character of the problematic exercise that might be limiting the capacity of the instruments to adequately capture the multidimensionality of this construct. Conclusions: Given the interest in understanding the complexity surrounding the problematic exercise, future research should develop more comprehensive definitions of this construct. This would allow a greater conceptual consensus to be reached that would allow progress to be made in the study of the problematic exercise

Examining the reliability of the scores of self-report instruments assessing problematic exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aims: Problematic exercise (PE) has mainly been assessed with self-report instruments. However, summarized evidence on the reliability of the scores derived from such instruments has yet to be provided. The present study reports a reliability generalization meta-analysis of six well-known self-report measures of PE (Commitment to Exercise Scale, Compulsive Exercise Test, Exercise Addiction Inventory, Exercise Dependence Questionnaire, Exercise Dependence Scale, and Obligatory Exercise Questionnaire). Methods: Pooled effect sizes were computed using a random-effect model employing a restricted maximum likelihood estimation method. Univariable and multivariable meta-regressions analyses were employed for testing moderator variables. Results: Data retrieved from 255 studies (741 independent samples, N = 254,174) identified three main groups of findings: (i) pooled alpha values that, ranging from 0.768 to 0.930 for global scores and from 0.615 to 0.907 for subscale scores, were found to be sensitive to sociodemographic and methodological characteristics; (ii) reliability induction rates of 47.58%; and (iii) the virtually non-existent testing of the assumptions required for the proper applicability of alpha. Data unavailability prevented the provision of summarized reliability estimates in terms of temporal stability. Discussion: These findings highlight the need to improve reliability reporting of the scores of self-reported instruments of PE in primary studies. This implies providing both prior justification for the appropriateness of the index employed and reliability data for all the subpopulation of interest. The values presented could be used as a reference both for comparisons with those obtained in future primary studies and for correcting measurement-related artefacts in quantitative meta-analytic research concerning PE