Effect of psychological skills intervention on exercise adherence among university staffers in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effect of psychological skills interventions (PSIs) (goal setting, positive self-talk and a combined intervention) on exercise adherence among university staffers in South-west, Nigeria. This study employed the post-test-control group experimental design. 107 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to four different groups: goal setting (n = 26), positive self-talk (n = 26), combined goal setting and positive self-talk (n = 27), and control (n = 28), age ranged between 23 and 64 years. All groups engaged in a 13-week structured exercise programme, but only the experimental groups received psychological skills training. Exercise programme prescriptions of the American College of Sports Medicine and Adapted Educational talk on PSIs were used. The participants completed Goal Orientation in Exercise Measure (GOEM), Self-Talk Use Questionnaire (STUQ) and Combined Goal Setting/Positive Self-Talk Questionnaire (CGSPSQ), and attendance logbooks were completed by the participants. The data were analysed using T-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe Post-hoc test. The study indicated significant differences in exercise adherence between each experimental group and the control group (p < .05). The combined PSI demonstrated the highest exercise adherence rate (67.33%), followed by goal setting (60.26%) and positive self-talk (52.56%), while the control group recorded the lowest (37.09%). PSI positively influenced exercise adherence, with combined goal setting and positive self-talk indicating most effective. The study emphasized the importance of integrating PSI into workplace health and wellness programmes to enhance long-term physical activity participation. Recommendations are made.