Exercise identity, health locus of control, and drop -out status in female, beginning exercisers

The analyses set forth in this study addressed the inter-relationship between Exercise Identity, Health Locus of Control and drop-out status and attempted to determine which of these characteristics were significantly related. From this investigation, six major hypotheses were analyzed with five of them providing information regarding the significant relationship amongst the aforementioned constructs. A series of statistical analyses were performed as tests of the assertions in the six hypotheses including two independent t-tests, two discriminant analyses, and two standard regressions.;The first two hypotheses examined the difference in Health Locus of Control and Exercise Identity after four weeks of participation in aerobic exercise. The first hypothesis looked for an increase in the scores of one of the Health Locus of Control subscales (internal, external, and powerful others) after four weeks of participation in aerobic exercise, and the second hypothesis looked for an increase in the score on the Exercise Identity scale after four weeks of participation in aerobic exercise.;Hypothesis three and hypothesis four attempted to determine if a subject's initial Exercise Identity score or a subject's initial Health Locus of Control scores could predict whether a subject would drop out of the exercise program. Hypotheses five and hypothesis six examined the relationship between the three Health Locus of Control subscales and the Exercise Identity scale. Hypothesis five attempted to determine whether a subject's pre-test Health Locus of Control scores could predict their pre-test Exercise Identity score. Hypothesis six attempted to determine if a subject's post-test Health Locus of Control scores could predict their post-test Exercise Identity score.;The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale was used to assess locus of control over one's health. The Exercise Identity Scale was used to assess the salience of exercise as part of an individual's self-concept. Subjects were given these two measures before the first session of a four-week, aerobic exercise program and again after four weeks of participation in the aerobic exercise program.;A sample of 170 female, beginning exercisers were assessed in this study. All subjects self-selected into a four-week, city-sponsored, aerobic exercise program. Eighty-five of these subjects dropped out of the aerobic exercise program prior to collection of post-test data.;As predicted, both Exercise Identity and internal Health Locus of Control increased after four weeks of regular and consistent aerobic exercise. Internal Health Locus of Control also significantly increased between pre-test and post-test (t(1,84) = 6.3, p = .000). Exercise Identity significantly increased between pre-test and post-test ( t(1,84) = 6.57, p = .000).;Internal Health Locus of Control in combination with powerful others Health Locus of Control was able to significantly predict Exercise Identity scores at both the pre test level (Adj R squared = .194, Beta external HLOC = .048 n.s., Beta internal HLOC = .368, p = .001, Beta powerful others HLOC = .309, p = .002) and the post-test level (Adj R squared = .549, Beta external HLOC = .043 n.s., Beta internal HLOC = .631, p = .000, Beta powerful others HLOC = .285, p = .005).;The results obtained in this study could furnish the literature with several interesting and original contributions. They also provide a multitude of venues for future research in the areas of Exercise Identity, Health Locus of Control, and drop-out status.