title: Understanding physical activity lapses among women: responses to lapses and the potential buffering effect of social support.
abstract: Many women fail to meet recommended levels of physical activity (PA). Limited research has examined women's barriers to PA adoption during attempts to increase PA-in particular, how often they experience PA lapses (i.e., failure to meet PA goals), their cognitive-affective responses to lapses, and the role of social support in preventing or responding to lapses. The present study assessed weekly variability in PA lapses, cognitive-affective responses to lapses, and social support related to PA among women participating in a partner-based PA program (n = 20). Multilevel modeling showed that greater PA self-efficacy and more frequent partner communication predicted fewer lapses during the concurrent or subsequent week (ps < 0.02). Interestingly, greater self-forgiveness for lapsing also predicted more lapses the subsequent week (p = 0.04), though greater perceived partner support appeared to buffer the negative effect of self-forgiveness on future lapses (p = 0.04). These findings demonstrate the importance of cognitive-affective responses to PA lapses for future PA, as well as the potential benefit of social support for preventing PA lapses among women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Stratton Hall, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. lms457@drexel.edu.
authors.forename: Leah M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1557-4659
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Scranton, 205 Alumni Memorial Hall, 800 Linden St., Scranton, PA, 18510, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Scranton, 205 Alumni Memorial Hall, 800 Linden St., Scranton, PA, 18510, USA.
authors.forename: Coco
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Intention–behavior gap; Lapses; Physical activity; Physical activity adoption; Social support; Wearable technology