title: The relationship between intra-group age similarity and exercise adherence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research within social and organizational psychology is replete with evidence for a positive relationship between intra-group demographic similarity and group-based attraction/involvement. This relationship, however, remains largely unexplored within applied health settings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which intra-group age similarity relates to individual adherence behaviors within group-based exercise programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational design was used in which participants' (N=123) age similarity was assessed in relation to program adherence over a period of several months. Data were collected from within a large city in Western Canada during the winter of 2011. Analyses were performed using a multilevel framework shortly after data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive relationship was observed between age similarity and program adherence (β=0.19, SE=0.09, p=0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings are consistent with the notion that program adherence may be enhanced if age similarity is maximized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. wdunlop@psych.ubc.ca
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002170:Canada; D003625:Data Collection; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies