Psychometric correlates of perception during arm ergometry in males and females

This study examined psychometric correlates of rated perceived exertion (RPE) and perceived dyspnea (RPD) during progressive arm ergometry. Thirty female and 30 male subjects completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (POMS) and the Body Awareness Scale (BAS) followed by progressive arm ergometry to exhaustion. Heart rate, minute ventilation, RPD and RPE were obtained during the last 30 seconds of every two minute stage of the exercise test. The female group had significantly (p < 0.05) higher RPE (overall and local), RPD, minute ventilation, and heart rate than did the male group during exercise at absolute power outputs of 33, 50 and 67 watts. At each of these work loads, both state anxiety and body awareness were positively and significantly (p < 0.05) related to RPE and RPD in the male but not in the female sample. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that a subset of high trait anxious males (N = 10) exhibited higher minute ventilatory volumes and dyspnea ratings than a subset of low trait anxious males (N = 10). The results show that elevated trait anxiety is associated with dyspnea during arm ergometry and that there are gender differences in psychological correlates of perception during arm exercise, but shed no light on why the gender differences exist.