title: A 6-month pilot study of effects of a physical activity intervention on life satisfaction with a sample of three generations of women.
abstract: This pilot study assessed possible changes in Life Satisfaction across three generations of women after a 6-mo. physical activity intervention. The primary purpose of the study was to test the study design and discover critical issues that should be controlled for or changed in a follow-up study. A quasi-experimental design was used to assign randomly a convenience sample of participant triads into two groups: a home-based group (n=27) and a control group (n=9). Daughters were pre-menarcheal (n=13, M=10.1 yr., SD=1.5), mothers were premenopausal (n=13, M=37.2 yr., SD=4.2), and grandmothers were postmenopausal (n=11, M=61.5 yr., SD=4.4). Life Satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Participation in physical activity was measured using the Physical Best Physical Activity Questionnaire and a pedometer to count the number of steps taken per day. Compared with the control group, participants in the home-based group generally increased physical activity but their scores for Life Satisfaction did not increase. Recommendations concerning the study design, reducing limitations, and hypotheses for further study are given.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Lynne L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ornes
authors.forename: Lynda B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ransdell
authors.forename: Leeann
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trunnell
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moyer-Mileur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D003720:Densitometry; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome