Affective responses to acute exercise in elderly impaired males: the moderating effects of self-efficacy and age

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between perceptions of personal efficacy and affective responsibility to acute exercise in elderly male in-patients and outpatients at a Veterans Administration Medical Center. Participants completed self-efficacy measures prior to and following upper body ergometry exercise. Multidimensional affect was assessed prior to and following activity and in-task affect was assessed by retrospective recall. A significant change in feelings of fatigue was revealed over time but exercise effects on affect were shown to be moderated by perceptions of efficacy and age. Specifically, more efficacious individuals reported significantly more positive well-being and less psychological distress during and following exercise. Older individuals were less efficacious and experienced more negative responses to exercise. Finally, participants who experienced less psychological distress and more positive well-being during activity were more efficacious post-exercise. The results are discussed with respect to the role played by self-efficacy and age in the generation of affective responses to exercise.