Relationships between Psychophysiological Responses to Cycling Exercise and Post-Exercise Self-Efficacy

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Psychology
• Autonomic Nervous System Function

Background:

• Self-efficacy (SE) is crucial for maintaining regular exercise habits.
• Factors influencing post-exercise SE, particularly subjective and physiological states, require further clarification.
• Understanding these factors can inform strategies to promote exercise adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of subjective and physiological states on self-efficacy after a single exercise session.
• To identify specific pre-, during-, and post-exercise factors that predict post-exercise self-efficacy.
• To examine the relationship between autonomic nervous system responses and post-exercise self-efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Forty-three healthy adults completed a 30-minute moderate-intensity cycling exercise session with pre- and post-exercise rest periods.
• Subjective measures included Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and the Feeling Scale (FS).
• Physiological measures involved heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to assess autonomic function.

Main Results:

• Post-exercise SE was negatively correlated with RPE and positively correlated with FS at the end of the exercise.
• Post-exercise SE was negatively correlated with high-frequency power of HRV, indicating reduced parasympathetic activity.
• Both subjective feelings during exercise and autonomic recovery influenced post-exercise self-efficacy.

Conclusions:

• Post-exercise self-efficacy is determined by both the individual's subjective experience of the exercise and their physiological recovery state.
• Autonomic nervous system regulation, specifically parasympathetic function, plays a role in post-exercise self-efficacy.
• These findings highlight the interconnectedness of psychological and physiological responses in shaping exercise self-efficacy.