Although numerous studies have examined the relationship among affect, personality, and physical activity, results are equivocal. Critics have cited inadequate experimental designs and analyses as the bases for ambiguity. This study addressed two identified weaknesses, length of exercise regimen and improper selection of subjects. Subjects were 72 college-age students who participated in one of three 75-min. activity classes (running, karate, weight lifting) and a lecture class (control subjects). The Profile of Mood States Test was administered prior to and immediately after exercise bouts. Analyses of variance and multiple t tests indicated that participating in a single bout of exercise significantly reduced reported total mood disturbance, tension, depression, anger, and confusion.

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28 college age students participating in a weight lifting class exhibited significant decreases in negative affect and increases in positive affect. Changes in affect were correlated with average exercise heart rates. Higher heart rates were correlated with reductions in negative affect and increases in positive affect. Correlations of .37 and .40 suggest that, in accordance with earlier studies, exercise intensity may be indirectly related to exercise.

A number of researchers have suggested that the syndrome of exercise dependence (addiction) is paralleled by a tendency towards eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. As considerable research has reported a high incidence of eating disorders among dancers and as rigorous physical demands are inherent in dance, we hypothesized that dancers would present a higher profile of exercise dependence on the Negative Addiction Scale than other athletes. To test this hypothesis, 47 female ballet and modern dancers completed a survey on exercise dependence adapted from Hailey and Bailey (1982) to assess quantitatively exercise dependence. Scores were compared with those obtained from 39 female endurance (running) athletes and 16 female nonendurance (field hockey) athletes. Significantly higher scores on dependence for dancers than for endurance or nonendurance athletes were noted. The data indicate that dancers may be at greater risk for psychophysiological problems associated with exercise dependence than other athletes and so should be monitored for symptoms.

Although numerous studies have examined the relationship among affect, personality, and physical activity, results are equivocal. Critics have cited inadequate experimental designs and analyses as the bases for ambiguity. This study addressed two identified weaknesses, length of exercise regimen and improper selection of subjects. Subjects were 72 college-age students who participated in one of three 75-min. activity classes (running, karate, weight lifting) and a lecture class (control subjects). The Profile of Mood States Test was administered prior to and immediately after exercise bouts. Analyses of variance and multiple t tests indicated that participating in a single bout of exercise significantly reduced reported total mood disturbance, tension, depression, anger, and confusion.