ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

The development of an instrument to measure women's experience of an aerobic dance class

 

 

Cynthia J. Patel; Madhubala I. Kasiram

School of Psychology & School of Social Work and Community Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to pilot an instrument to measure women's experience in an aerobic dance class with regard to their descriptions of the general atmosphere, the music, the dance moves and routines, and the instructor. In addition, the participants were asked to rate a list of exercise benefits in order of personal importance. A sample of 27 women, ranging in age from 25 to 60 years participated in this pilot study. The women responded with positive endorsements for all aspects of the overall dance experience, but their most affirming descriptions revolved around the instructor. There was an almost unanimous agreement amongst the participants about the importance of the instructor's role in their experience of the class. Their responses to the open-ended questions supported these sentiments. The mental and physical benefits were rated as important for most of the women whilst a much lower percentage rated the social benefit as important. Two items in the semantic differential posed problems but the instrument showed promise in eliciting key aspects of women's experience in an aerobics dance class.

---

OPSOMMING

Die doel van die studie was om 'n instrument daar te stel wat die ervaring van vroue in 'n fiksheidsdans-klas meet: hulle ervaring ten opsigte van die algemene atmosfeer en die musiek, asook hulle opinie oor die dans-roetines en -bewegings en die instrukteur. Die deelnemers is ook gevra om 'n lys te maak van die voordele van oefening met verwysing na hulleself. 'n Steekproef van 27 vroue tussen die ouderdomme van 25 tot 60 jaar is in hierdie loodsstudie gebruik. Die vroue het positief gereageer op alle aspekte van die algehele dansondervinding, maar hul mees positiewe ervaring was gesentreer om die instrukteur. Verder was hulle opinie rakende die belangrikheid van die instrukteur se rol in hul ondervinding van die klas byna dieselfde. Hulle antwoorde op die oop-einde vrae het hierdie sentimente ondersteun. Die psigiese en fisiese voordele is as die belangrikste deur die meeste vroue aangedui, terwyl 'n veel laer persentasie die sosiale voordeel as belangrik beskou het. Afgesien van twee problematiese items in die semantiese differensiasie, het die instrument belofte getoon om sleutelaspekte van vroue se persepsies van 'n fiksheidsdansklas te identifiseer.

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

Al-Hindawe, J., 1996, 'Considerations when constructing a semantic differential scale', from http://www.latrobe.edu/linguistics/LaTrobePaperinLinguistics/Vol%2009/03AlHindawe.pdf        [ Links ]

Baker, T.L., 1994, Doing social research, McGraw Hill, New York.         [ Links ]

Baranowski, T., Bouchard, C., Bar-Or, O., Bricker, T., Heath, G., Kimm, S.Y.S., Malina, R., Obarznek, E., Pate, R., Strong, W.B., Truman, B. & Watson, R., 1992, 'Assessment, Prevalence, and Cardiovascular Benefits of Physical Activity and Fitness in Youth', Medicine, and Science in Sports and Exercise 24, 237-247.         [ Links ]

Bicego, D., Brown, K., Ruddick, M., Storey, D., Wong, C. & Harris, S.R., 2006, 'Exercise for Women with or at Risk for Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema', Physical Therapy 86, 1398-1405. doi:102522/ptj2005032820/10/2009        [ Links ]

Blanchard, C., Poon, P., Rodgers, W. & Pinel, B., 2000, 'Group Environment Questionnaire and its Applicability in an Exercise Setting', Small Group Research 31, 210-224. doi:10.1177/10464964003100607        [ Links ]

Bray, S.R., Gyurcsik, N.C., Culos-Reed, S.N., Dawson, K.A. & Martin, K.A., 2001, 'An Exploratory Investigation of the Relationship between Proxy Efficacy, Self-efficacy and Exercise Attendance', Journal of Health Psychology 6, 425-434.         [ Links ]

Bray, S.R., Millen, J.A., Eidsness, J. & Leuzinger, C., 2005, 'The Effects of Leadership Style and Exercise Program Choreography on Enjoyment and Intentions to Exercise', Psychology of Exercise and Sport 6, 415-425.         [ Links ]

Bremer, Z., 2007, 'Dance as a Form of Exercise', British Journal of General Practice February, 166.         [ Links ]

Brown, M.G., 2006, 'Dancing through depression', Herizons 28-29, 47.         [ Links ]

Bulley, C., Donaghy, M., Payne, A. & Mutrie, N., 2009, 'Personal Meanings, Values and Feelings Relating to Physical Activity and Exercise Participation in Female Undergraduates', Journal of Health Psychology 14, 751-760.         [ Links ]

Burgess, G., Grogan, S. & Burwitz, L., 2006, 'Effects of a 6-week aerobic dance intervention on body image and physical self-perceptions in adolescent girls', Body Image 3, 57-66.         [ Links ]

Collins, L.H., 2002, 'Working out the Contradictions: Feminism and Aerobics', Journal of Sport and Social Issues 26, 85-109.         [ Links ]

Craig, M.L. & Liberti, R., 2007, '"Cause that's what girls do": The makings of a feminized gym', Gender & Society 21, 676-699.         [ Links ]

Daley, A.J. & Huffen, C., 2009, 'The effect of low and moderate intensity exercise on subjective experiences in a naturalistic health and fitness club setting', Journal of Health Psychology 8, 685-691.         [ Links ]

Dhurup, M., Singh, P.C. & Surujlal, J., 2006, 'Customer Service Quality at Commercial Health and Fitness Centres', South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation 28, 39-54.         [ Links ]

Draper, C.E., Grobler, L., Kilian, G.A., Micklesfield, L.K., Lamber, E.V. & Noakes, T.D., 2006, 'An Inventory of the South African Fitness Industry', South African Journal of Sports Medicine 18, 93-102.         [ Links ]

Edwards, S., 2006, 'Physical Exercise and Psychological Well-being', South African Journal of Psychology 36, 357-373.         [ Links ]

Evans, R.R., Cotter, E.M. & Roy, J.L.P., 2005, 'Preferred body type of fitness instructors among university students in exercise', Perceptual and Motor Skills 101, 257-266.         [ Links ]

Foltz-Gray, D., 2006, 'Dancing Queens', Health, September, 130-135.         [ Links ]

Greenleaf, C., McGreer, R. & Parham., 2006, 'Physique attitudes and self-representational concerns: Exploratory interviews with female aerobic exercisers and instructors', Sex Roles 54, 189-199.         [ Links ]

Hacker, E., 2008, 'Exercise and Quality of Life', Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing 13, 31-39. doi: 10.1188/09.CJON.31-39        [ Links ]

Hös, A.T., 2005, 'The Effects of Guided Systematic Aerobic Dance Programme on the Self-esteem of Adults', Kinesiology 37, 141-150, from http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanakj'ezik=6733&lang=en        [ Links ]

Huysamen, G.K., 1994, Methodology for the social and behavioural sciences, Thomson International Publishing, Johannesburg.         [ Links ]

Murrock, C.J. & Gary, F.A., 2010, 'Culturally Specific Dance to Reduce Obesity in African American Women', Health Promotion Practice 11, 465-473. doi: 10.1177/1524839908323520        [ Links ]

Mutrie, N. & Choi, P.Y.L., 2000, 'Is "Fit" a Feminist Issue? Dilemmas for Exercise Psychology', Feminism & Psychology 10, 544-551.         [ Links ]

Oppenheim, A.N., 1992, Questionnaire design, interviewing and attitude measurement, Pinter Publishers, London.         [ Links ]

Paulson, S., 2005, 'How Various "Cultures of Fitness" Shape Subjective Experiences of Growing Older', Ageing & Society 25, 229-244.         [ Links ]

Peltzer, K. & Pengpid, S., 2006, 'Perceived Benefits of and Barriers to Exercise among Black University Students', African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance 12, 60-69.         [ Links ]

Petrofsky, J., Batt, J., Berk, L., Collins, K., Yang, T.N., LeMoine, M., Bains, G., Gunda, S., Raju, C., Vanarasa, D., Kim, Y., Beard, C., Broussard, K., Cristenson, J., Ellstrom, C., George, I., Hollans, M., Vallabhaneni, P. & Brown, J., 2008, 'The Effect of an Aerobic Dance and Diet Program on Cardiovascular Fitness, Body Composition, and Weight Loss in Women', The Journal of Applied Research 8, 179-188.         [ Links ]

Priest, D.L. & Karageorghis, C., 2008, 'A Qualitative Investigation into the Characteristics and Effects of Music Accompanying Exercise', European Physical Education Review 14, 347-366.         [ Links ]

Puetz, T.M., Flowers, S.S. & O'Connor, P., 2008, 'A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Aerobic Exercise Training on Feelings of Energy and Fatigue in Sedentary Young Adults with Persistent Fatigue', Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 77, 167-174.         [ Links ]

Segar, M.L., Jayaratne, T., Hanlon, J. & Richardson, C.R., 2002, 'Fitting Fitness into Women's Lives: Effects of a Gender-tailored Physical Activity Intervention,' Women's Health Issues 12, 338-347. PIIS1049-3867(02)00156-1        [ Links ]

Segar, M.L., Eccles, J.S. & Richardson, C.R., 2008, 'Type of Physical Activity Goal influences Participation in Healthy Midlife Women', Women's Health Issues 18, 281-291. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2008.02003        [ Links ]

Smith, T.W., 2006, 'Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Exercise in the Management of Mental and Physical Health Problems', Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 13, 198-202.         [ Links ]

Stathopoulou, G., Powers, M.B., Berry, A.C., Smits, A.J. & Otto, M.W., 2006, 'Exercise Interventions for Mental Health: A Quantitative and Qualitative Review', Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 13, 179-193.         [ Links ]

University of Michigan News Service, 2008, 'Exercise goals: mid-life women should work out to improve well-being, not to lose weight', viewed 18 February 2009, from http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6649        [ Links ]

Van Teijlingen, E.R. & Hundley, V., 2001, 'The Importance of Pilot Studies', Social Research Update 35, 1-4.         [ Links ]

Young, C.M., Weeks, B.K. & Beck, B.R., 2007, 'Simple, Novel Physical Activity maintains Proximal Femur Bone Mineral Density, and Improves Muscle Strength and Balance in Sedentary Postmenopausal Caucasian Women', Osteoporo International 18, 1379-1387.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Cynthia Patel
King George V Avenue
Durban 4041
South Africa
patelc@ukzn.ac.za

Received: 30 Nov. 2009
Accepted: 26 Feb. 2011
Published: 27 July 2011