EFFECT OF CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS ON THE BODY CONCEPT OF WOMEN.

摘要

The purpose of this study is to determine the physical, physiological, and psychological changes in a woman as a result of cardiovascular training and activity. More specifically the problem of the study is to determine the difference in physical fitness and body image measures among women in running, walking, and control groups. The secondary problem is to determine the difference in self-concept and stressed and resting pulse rate among women in running, walking, and control groups.;These 50 women were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The full treatment group met 30 minutes daily, 4 times a week for 20 weeks and followed Kenneth Cooper's age and sex adjusted running program. A half treatment fitness group was limited to training at half the level of the first group. The second group earned half the number of weekly aerobic points as the first, walking for 30 minutes, 4 times a week for 20 weeks. The women assigned to the control group were told the YMCA program was full and that they would be involved in the next class. These women did not meet or exercise during the treatment period.;In this study the independent variable is physical fitness training. This is provided in full measure in the running group and in half measure in the walking group. In studying the causal relationship between the independent variable, fitness training, and the dependent variables, physical and psychological well-being this study limits physical well-being to cardiovascular fitness and psychological well-being to one aspect of personality, body concept. Cardiovascular fitness is measured by performance on Cooper's Field Test. Body concept is divided into conscious and unconscious aspects of this variable. Conscious body image is measured by Secord and Jourard's Body Cathexis Questionnaire. This test measures the positive feelings one has towards his body. Unconscious body concept is measured by Fisher and Cleveland's barrier score on the Holtzman Inkblot Test. This score assesses one's perception of his body boundaries and how solid he perceives his body to be.;Secondary measures include the effect of physical fitness training on self-concept as measured by Secord and Jourard's Self-Cathexis Questionnaire. The effects of training on a woman's physiology were determined by her blood pressure and stressed and resting pulse.;Subjects are Shreveport, Louisiana, area housewives and working women who voluntarily enrolled in a five-month YMCA physical fitness program. Subjects are white women between the ages of 23 and 52. All are within the normal range of physical and emotional health.;All assessments were given after the groups had completed the 20-week training program. The study found there was a statistically significant difference in the physical fitness level between women in the full treatment running group and in the half treatment walking group. There was also a significant difference between women in the full treatment running group and in the control group. However, no significant difference was found between the physical fitness of the women in the half treatment walking group and the no treatment control group. Moreover, no significant difference was found in body image or self-concept between treatment groups or between either treatment group and the control group. Resting pulse rate differed significantly between both treatment groups and control group but not between treatment groups. Stressed pulse rate differed significantly between women in the running group and the other two groups; however, stressed pulse rate did not differ between women in the walking groups and the control group.