title: The Effect of Acute Exercise on Affect and Arousal in Inpatient Mental Health Consumers.
abstract: Acute exercise performed at a self-selected intensity improves affect and may improve long-term adherence. Similarly, in people with severe depression, acute aerobic exercise performed at self-selected intensity improves affect and arousal. However, the relationship between changes in affect and arousal and perceived exercise intensity in people with mental illness has not been evaluated. Affect and arousal were assessed immediately prior to, and immediately following, a group exercise program performed at a self-selected intensity in 40 inpatient mental health consumers who received a diagnosis of anxiety or bipolar or depressive disorders. Exercise intensity was assessed immediately after exercise. Postexercise affect was significantly improved for people with bipolar and depressive disorders but not for people with anxiety disorders. For the group as a whole, results showed a significant curvilinear relationship between ratings of perceived exertion and postexercise affect. These data will inform the development and delivery of future exercise interventions for inpatient mental health consumers.
authors.affiliation: *Synergy, Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, University of Canberra and ACT Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and †School of Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reaburn
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001143:Arousal; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged