Using the constructive narrative perspective to understand physical activity reasoning schema in sedentary adults

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Gerontology
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for older adults' health.
• Understanding barriers to physical activity in this demographic is essential for effective interventions.
• Existing frameworks may not fully capture the complexity of perceived barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how older adults perceive barriers to physical activity using the Constructive Narrative Perspective (CNP).
• To assess the utility of the CNP framework in understanding reasons for physical inactivity.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 sedentary adults aged 50 years and older.
• The Constructive Narrative Perspective (CNP), a three-level reasoning schema, was used to analyze interview data.
• Participant ages ranged from 50 to 71 years, with a mean age of 65.23.

Main Results:

• The CNP framework showed initial support for its application in this context.
• Level II (self-relevant) and Level III (cognitive-affective schema-related) reasons were the most frequently reported barriers.
• Level I (evidence-based) reasons were reported less frequently by participants.

Conclusions:

• The CNP framework offers a valuable lens for examining perceived barriers to physical activity in older adults.
• Intervention strategies can potentially be tailored more effectively by considering the progressively complex reasoning levels identified by the CNP.
• Future research should further validate and apply the CNP in diverse populations and intervention settings.