Abstract
To examine the bi-directional relationships between negative affectivity (i.e., depression, anxiety, and anger) and adolescents’ physical activity in nearly real time. Twenty-six adolescents (Mage = 15.67 ± 1.56 years; 57.7% male) were asked to complete 80 self-report measures of their negative affect (depression, anxiety, and anger) via a smartphone app and wear an accelerometer as an objective assessment of their physical activity over 20 consecutive days. Negative fixed effects emerged for within-person depression and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as well as for within-person anger and MVPA. Further, there were significant random effects for each of the within-person negative affect variables and MVPA. Study findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in the association between negative affect constructs and physical activity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Actigraph, wActi. (2005). Sleep-BT and ActiLife desktop software user’s manual. Pensacola: ActiGraph.
Aggio, D., Wallace, K., Boreham, N., Shankar, A., Steptoe, A., & Hamer, M. (2017). Objectively measured daily physical activity and postural changes as related to positive and negative affect using ambulatory monitoring assessments. Psychosomatic Medicine, 79(7), 792–797. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000485.
Anton, S. D., & Miller, P. M. (2005). Do negative emotions predict alcohol consumption, saturated fat intake, and physical activity in older adults? Behavior Modification, 29(4), 677–688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445503261164.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman.
Brannon, E. E., Cushing, C. C., Crick, C. J., & Mitchell, T. B. (2016). The promise of wearable sensors and ecological momentary assessment measures for dynamical systems modeling in adolescents: a feasibility and acceptability study. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 6(4), 558–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-016-0442-4.
Cannon, M. F., & Weems, C. F. (2010). Cognitive biases in childhood anxiety disorders: do interpretive and judgment biases distinguish anxious youth from their non-anxious peers? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 24(7), 751–758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.05.008.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES): Physical Activity Monitor (PAM) procedures manual. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/nhanes_11_12/Physical_Activity_Monitor_Manual.pdf accessed May 31st, 2018
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Facts about physical activity. http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/facts.html accessed May 31st, 2018
Chandler, J. L., Brazendale, K., Beets, M. W., & Mealing, B. A. (2016). Classification of physical activity intensities using a wrist‐worn accelerometer in 8-12‐year‐old children. Pediatric Obesity, 11(2), 120–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12033.
Chenoweth, D., & Leutzinger, J. (2006). The economic cost of physical inactivity and excess weight in american adults. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 3(2), 148–163. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.3.2.148.
Cooper, Z., Fairburn, C.G., & Hawker, D.M. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of obesity: a clinician’s guide. Guilford Press, New York, NY.
Cushing, C. C., Mitchell, T. B., Bejarano, C. M., Walters, R. W., Crick, C. J., & Noser, A. E. (2017). Bidirectional associations between psychological states and physical activity in adolescents: a mHealth pilot study. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 42(5), 559–568. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsw099.
Cushing, C.C., & Steele, R.G. (2010). A meta-analytic review of eHealth interventions for pediatrichealth promoting and maintaining behaviors. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35, 937–949.
Da Silva, M. A., Singh-Manoux, A., Brunner, E. J., Kaffashian, S., Shipley, M. J., Kivimäki, M., & Nabi, H. (2012). Bidirectional association between physical activity and symptoms of anxiety and depression: the Whitehall II study. European Journal of Epidemiology, 27(7), 537–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-012-9692-8.
Driver, S., & Ede, A. (2009). Impact of physical activity on mood after TBI. Brain Injury, 23(3), 203–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699050802695574.
Dunn, A. L., Trivedi, M. H., & O’Neal, H. A. (2001). Physical activity dose-response effects on outcomes of depression and anxiety. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, 33(6 Suppl), S587–597. discussion 609-510.
Dunton, G. F., Huh, J., Leventhal, A. M., Riggs, N., Hedeker, D., Spruijt-Metz, D., & Pentz, M. A. (2014). Momentary assessment of affect, physical feeling states, and physical activity in children. Health Psychology, 33(3), 255–263. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032640.
Dunton, G. F., Whalen, C. K., Jamner, L. D., Henker, B., & Floro, J. N. (2005). Using ecologic momentary assessment to measure physical activity during adolescence. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29(4), 281–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2005.07.020.
Ekkekakis, P., Parfitt, G., & Petruzzello, S. J. (2011). The pleasure and displeasure people feel when they exercise at different intensities. Sports Medicine, 41(8), 641–671. https://doi.org/10.2165/11590680-000000000-00000.
Enders, C. K. (2001). The performance of the full information maximum likelihood estimator in multiple regression models with missing data. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61(5), 713–740. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164401615001.
Fedele, D. A., Cushing, C. C., & (2017). Mobile health interventions for improving health outcomes in youth: a meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 171, 461–469. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0042.
Haas, P., Schmid, J., Stadler, G., Reuter, M., & Gawrilow, C. (2017). Zooming into daily life: Within-person associations between physical activity and affect in young adults. Psychology & Health, 32(5), 588–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2017.1291943.
Hallal, P. C., Victora, C. G., Azevedo, M. R., & Wells, J. C. (2006). Adolescent physical activity and health: a systematic review. Sports Medicine, 36(12), 1019–1030. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636120-00003.
Hoffman, L., & Stawski, R. S. (2009). Persons as contexts: Evaluating between-person and within-person effects in longitudinal analysis. Research in Human Development, 6, 97–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427600902911189.
Janssen, I., & Leblanc, A. G. (2010). Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 7, 40 https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-7-40.
Jerstad, S. J., Boutelle, K. N., Ness, K. K., & Stice, E. (2010). Prospective reciprocal relations between physical activity and depression in female adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 268–272. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018793.
Kieling, C. (2015). Precision medicine for child and adolescent psychiatry. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(6), 435–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2015.03.009.
Kohl, 3rd, H. W., Craig, C. L., Lambert, E. V., Inoue, S., Alkandari, J. R., & Leetongin, G., Lancet Physical Activity Series Working, G. (2012). The pandemic of physical inactivity: global action for public health. Lancet, 380(9838), 294–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60898-8.
Kreibig, S. D. (2010). Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion: A review. Biological Psychology, 84(3), 394–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.03.010.
Liao, Y., Shonkoff, E. T., & Dunton, G. F. (2015). The acute relationships between affect, physical feeling states, and physical activity in daily life: a review of current evidence. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01975.
McAuley, E., & Blissmer, B. (2000). Self-efficacy determinants and consequences of physical activity. Exercise and Sport Science Reviews, 28(2), 85–88.
McNair, P. M., Lorr, M., & Droppleman, L. F. (1981). POMS manual. 2nd ed San Diego: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.
Motl, R. W., Birnbaum, A. S., Kubik, M. Y., & Dishman, R. K. (2004). Naturally occurring changes in physical activity are inversely related to depressive symptoms during early adolescence. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66(3), 336–342.
Nader, P. R., Bradley, R. H., Houts, R. M., McRitchie, S. L., & O’Brien, M. (2008). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity from ages 9 to 15 years. Journal of the American Medical Association, 300(3), 295–305. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.300.3.295.
Nelson, T. D., Benson, E. R., & Jensen, C. D. (2009). Negative attitudes toward physical activity: measurement and role in predicting physical activity levels among preadolescents. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35, 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsp040.
Noser, A. E., Cushing, C. C., McGrady, M. E., Amaro, C. M., & Huffhines, L. P. (2017). Adaptive intervention designs in pediatric psychology: the promise of sequential multiple assignment randomized trials of pediatric interventions. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 5, 170–179.10.10.37/cpp0000185.
O’Reilly, G. A., Huh, J., Schembre, S. M., Tate, E. B., Pentz, M. A., & Dunton, G. (2015). Association of usual self-reported dietary intake with ecological momentary measures of affective and physical feeling states in children. Appetite, 92, 314–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.032.
Öztekin, C., & Tezer, E. (2009). The role of sense of coherence and physical activity in positive and negative affect of Turkish adolescents. Adolescence, 44(174), 421–432.
Penedo, F. J., & Dahn, J. R. (2005). Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 18(2), 189–193.
Lenhart, A. (2015). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/. accessed May 31st, 2018
Poole, L., Steptoe, A., Wawrzyniak, A. J., Bostock, S., Mitchell, E. S., & Hamer, M. (2011). Associations of objectively measured physical activity with daily mood ratings and psychophysiological stress responses in women. Psychophysiology, 48(8), 1165–1172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01184.x.
Posner, J., Russell, J.A., & Peterson, B.S. (2005). The circumplex model of affect: An integrative approachto affective neuroscience, cognitive development, and psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 17(3), 715–734. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579405050340.
Sadeh, A., Sharkey, K. M., & Carskadon, M. A. (1994). Activity-based sleep—wake identification: an empirical test of methodological issues. Sleep, 17(3), 201–207.
Salmon, P. (2001). Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: a unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(1), 33–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(99)00032-X.
Sothern, M. S., Loftin, M., Suskind, R. M., Udall, J. N., & Blecker, U. (1999). The health benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents: implications for chronic disease prevention. European Journal of Pediatrics, 158(4), 271–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310051070.
Stavrakakis, N., de Jonge, P., Ormel, J., & Oldehinkel, A. J. (2012). Bidirectional prospective associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms. The TRAILS Study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50(5), 503–508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.09.004.
Rebar, A. L., Faulkner, G., & Stanton, R. (2015). An exploratory study examining the core affect hypothesis of the anti-depressive and anxiolytic effects of physical activity. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 9, 55–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2015.10.001.
Reichert, M., Tost, H., Reinhard, I., Schlotz, W., Zipf, A., Salize, H. J., & Ebner-Priemer, U. W. (2017). Exercise versus nonexercise activity: e-diaries unravel distinct effects on mood. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 49(4), 763–773. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001149.
Troiano, R. P., Berrigan, D., Dodd, K. W., Masse, L. C., Tilert, T., & McDowell, M. (2008). Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40, 181–188. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31815a51b3.
Trost, S. G., Pate, R. R., Sallis, J. F., Freedson, P. S., Taylor, W. C., Dowda, M., & Sirard, J. (2002). Age and gender differences in objectively measured physical activity in youth. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 34(2), 350–355.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2018), National Institutes of Health, Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program. About the precision medicine cohort program. https://allofus.nih.gov/ accessed May 31st, 2018
World Health Organization (2015). Physical activity fact sheet. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs385/en/. accessed May 31st, 2018
Acknowledgements
Christopher Cushing’s research was partially supported by a Targeted Research Grant from the Society of Pediatric Psychology. Christopher Crick’s research was partially supported by National Science Foundation awards, specifically grant numbers 1539070 and 1527828. The current study fully complies with the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics.
Author Contributions
C.C.C.: obtained funding for the project; conceptualized the work; provided substantial original writing; conducted the statistical and methodological design; conducted the statistical analyses; collected the data; editing the work; and supervised/mentored C.M.B., T.B.M., & A.E.N. C.M.B., T.B.M., & A.E.N.: collaborated in the conceptualization of the work, provided substantial original writing, and edited the work. C.J.C.: collaborated in the conceptualization of the work, designed the PETE app and oversaw its use, and edited the work.
Funding
The first author held a Targeted Research Grant from the Society of Pediatric Psychology during the drafting of this manuscript. The last author held grants from the National Science Foundation during the writing of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cushing, C.C., Bejarano, C.M., Mitchell, T.B. et al. Individual Differences in Negative Affectivity and Physical Activity in Adolescents: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study. J Child Fam Stud 27, 2772–2779 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1128-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1128-y