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Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Examining relationships between sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), physical activity context preferences, and
Beth Hanson1, Shauna M Burke1,2, Patricia Tucker3
1Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Objective:
Although regular physical activity (PA) enhances health, university environments often contribute to substantial PA declines for students. This cross-sectional study investigated relationships between Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), a personality trait amplifying individuals' responsiveness to their environments, and university students' perceptions of PA environments, including their PA context preferences and self-efficacy to accomplish PA despite barriers.
Participants:
Participants were 425 undergraduate students attending Ontario universities.
Methods:
Participants completed the Highly Sensitive Person 12-Item Scale, the Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity Scale, and several Likert-scale items assessing PA context preferences. Relationships were quantified using correlation coefficients and regression analyses.
Results:
Higher SPS was correlated (p < .05) with preferences for scheduled, at-home, and adjustable-difficulty PA settings and reduced preferences for competitive, team-based, and higher-volume PA. Higher SPS was associated with lower PA self-efficacy (r = -0.240, p < .001).
Conclusions:
Self-efficacy development and controllable PA contexts may make PA more accessible to university students with higher-sensitivity personalities.
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