Excerise, Aging, and Psychological Function

本研究是一项竞争性更新，旨在研究为期6个月的运动计划（伊利诺伊州积极老龄化）对老年人心理功能的长期（5年）随访效果（N=174）。此外，媒体和电话助推器干预，以增加身体活动，反过来，在原来的参与者样本的心理功能被提出。具体目的是：(a)在参加为期6个月的步行或伸展/塑形运动干预后大约5年内，检查参与体育活动的形状和形式、身体健康和心理社会功能；(b)确定哪些社会、心理、行为和身体因素决定长期保持体育活动；(c)研究为期六个月的电话和邮件干预对身体活动参与和五年后心理功能的影响。预计与对照组相比，“助推器”干预将增加他们的身体活动水平，从而提高他们的身体健康水平。此外，预期干预将导致自我效能、自尊和主观幸福感的增强；(d)最后，将审查参加体育活动、健康和自我效能在改善心理功能方面所起的作用。拟议的研究有几个优势。首先，除了运动干预的直接影响外，人们对运动项目对老年人身心健康的长期影响知之甚少。本项目建议采用多样本潜在增长曲线方法来绘制原始随机对照试验开始后五年这些健康参数的增长和变化形式。迄今为止，还没有任何运动试验试图对受试者进行如此长时间的跟踪研究。其次，我们的建议是理论基础，而不是描述性的，我们期望自我效能感的变化有助于功能的变化。第三，我们建议实施媒体/电话干预，试图扭转体力活动和心理社会功能的预期下降。通常，在运动试验的标准后续评估之后，没有做出这样的努力。因此，这项拟议的研究代表了进一步了解体育活动在美国老年人心理健康中所起作用的独特尝试。

This proposal is a competitive renewal which examines the long-term (5 years) follow-up effects of a six-month exercise program (Illinois Active Aging) on psychological function in older adults (N=174). In addition, a media and telephone booster intervention to increase physical activity and, in turn, psychological function in the original participant sample is proposed. The specific aims are: (a) To examine the shape and form of physical activity participation, physical fitness, and psychosocial function at approximately five years beyond entry into a six-month walking or stretching/toning exercise intervention; (b) To determine which social, psychological, behavioral, and physical factors determine long- term physical activity maintenance; (c) To examine the effects of a six-month telephone and mail-based intervention on physical activity participation and psychological function five years beyond the initial intervention. It is expected that the "booster" intervention, as compared to the control group will increase their levels of physical activity thereby increasing their physical fitness levels. In addition, it is expected that the intervention will lead to enhanced self-efficacy, self- esteem, and subjective well-being; (d) Finally, the role played by physical activity participation, fitness, and self-efficacy in improved psychological function will be examined. There are several strengths associated with the proposed studies. First, little is known about the long-term effects of exercise programs on the physical and psychological health of older adults beyond the more immediate effects of activity interventions. This project proposes to employ multiple sample latent growth curve methods to map the growth and form of change in these health parameters five years beyond the start of the original randomized controlled trial. No exercise trials to date have attempted to follow subjects for such a length of time. Second, we the proposal is theoretically grounded rather than descriptive and we expect changes in self-efficacy to be instrumental in changes in function. Third, we propose to implement a media/telephone intervention to try to reverse the expected declines in physical activity and psychosocial function. Typically, after standard follow-up assessments in exercise trials, no such efforts are made. As such, the proposed study represents a unique attempt to further understand the role played by physical activity in the psychological health of older Americans.