sarah hardcastle - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by sarah hardcastle

Research Square (Research Square), May 24, 2023

This study explored cancer survivors' experiences of participation in a wearable intervention and... more This study explored cancer survivors' experiences of participation in a wearable intervention and the dimensions that in uenced intervention engagement and physical activity behaviour change. Semi-structured interviews (n = 23) were conducted with intervention participants (mean age 65.8 (SD ± 7.1) and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identi ed; (i) Commitment, (ii) Accountability and monitoring, (iii) Routine (iv) Fitbit as health coach. Those that assigned a higher priority to PA were more likely to schedule PA and be successful in PA change. Those less successful presented more barriers to change and engaged in more incidental PA. The Fitbit acting as health coach was the active ingredient of the intervention. Commitment evidenced through prioritising PA was the foundational dimension that in uenced PA engagement. Interventions that foster commitment to PA through increasing the value and importance of PA would be worthwhile. Wearables holds great promise in PA promotion and harnessing the technique of discrepancy between behaviour and goals is likely a valuable behaviour change technique.

Research Square (Research Square), Sep 20, 2022

Cancer survivors are at risk of comorbidities, with those in non-metropolitan areas being particu... more Cancer survivors are at risk of comorbidities, with those in non-metropolitan areas being particularly susceptible. Survivors identify unique barriers and supports to facilitate change, which may differ across survivors' geographical classi cation. Methods. Survivors from metropolitan (n = 103) and non-metropolitan (n = 80) areas in Australia described barriers and suggested supports for physical activity and dietary change via open-ended survey items. Responses underwent thematic analysis. Survivors' barriers were primarily motivational and social. Survivors suggested change supports that corresponded with barriers, encompassing accountability, information from health professionals, and supportive social environments. Non-metropolitan survivors expressed logistical barriers and desired health professionals' support. Novel insights have revealed the importance of social in uences in supporting behavioural change. As poor motivation was a primary barrier across health behaviours and locations, programs may focus on strengthening commitment for change and harnessing the value of local support networks.

Psycho-oncology, Sep 23, 2020

Objective: Interventions to increase physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors have often adopte... more Objective: Interventions to increase physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors have often adopted a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, and may benefit from being tailored to psychological constructs associated with behavior. The study objective was to investigate the exercise preferences and psychological constructs related to PA among cancer survivors. Methods: Post-treatment colorectal, endometrial, and breast cancer survivors (n=183) living in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas completed survey measures of PA, exercise preferences, attitudes, self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention toward PA. Results: A structural equation model with adequate fit and quality indices revealed that instrumental attitude and self-efficacy were related to PA intention. Intention was related to behavior and mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and behavior. Preferred exercise intensity was related to self-efficacy, PBC, attitudes, and intention, while preferred exercise company was related to self-efficacy and PBC. Participants preferred moderate-intensity PA (71%), specifically self-paced (52%) walking (65%) in an outdoor environment (58%). Conclusions: Since instrumental attitude and self-efficacy were associated with PA, incorporating persuasive communications targeting attitudes in PA interventions may promote PA participation. As cancer survivors who prefer low-intensity exercise and exercising with others report lower self-efficacy and PBC, interventions targeting confidence and successful experience in this group may also be warranted.

International journal of sport and exercise psychology, Mar 14, 2018

In some cases, doping in sport is an intentional goal-directed behavior, but research 28 suggests... more In some cases, doping in sport is an intentional goal-directed behavior, but research 28 suggests that it might also occur accidentally when athletes inadvertently or unintentionally 29 consume banned performance-enhancing drugs via food, supplements or medication. Because 30 research into the psychological factors of unintentional doping is still emerging, this paper 31 aims to conduct a preliminary systematic review of all the existing literature concerning the 32 psychology of unintentional doping in sport. The systematic review was carried out via an 33 extensive search of Medline, PsycINFO, PsycTESTS, PsycARTICLES and Web of Science, 34 and reports from World Anti-Doping Agency. Among the 2,110 articles identified from the 35 search, six studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Evidence from these studies 36 suggests that the avoidance of unintentional doping could be related to a number of 37 behavioural, social and psychological factors, such as athletes' conscious awareness of, and 38 capacity to cope with, situations where they may be exposed to performance-enhancing 39 substances. Motivational factors from self-determination theory, social cognitive variables 40 and beliefs from the theory of planned behaviour, and trait self-control were also related to 41 athletes' behaviours that contribute to the avoidance of unintentional doping. On the basis of 42 this systematic review, we propose initial evidence-based suggestions that may support sport 43 scientists, team doctors, and practitioners to implement interventions or educational programs 44 to increase athletes' awareness of, and ability to avoid, unintentional doping in sport.

Pulmonary circulation, Oct 22, 2021

Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive cardiorespiratory disease that is characterized by consid... more Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive cardiorespiratory disease that is characterized by considerable morbidity and mortality. While physical activity can improve symptoms and quality of life, engagement in this population is suboptimal. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards exercise and the dimensions that influence physical activity participation in individuals with pulmonary hypertension. Virtual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals, with a formal diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. Participants were recruited through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Ireland. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Nineteen patients were interviewed (n ¼ 19). There was a female preponderance (n ¼ 13) and the mean age was 50 AE 12 years. Three themes were identified and included fear, perceived value of exercise and environmental factors. Fear was the primary theme and included three sub-themes of fear of (i) over-exertion, (ii) physical damage and (iii) breathlessness. The perceived value of exercise encompassed two distinct sub-themes of perceived (i) exercise importance and (ii) benefits of exercise. Environmental factors included the terrain, weather conditions and location. Fear of overexertion, harm and dyspnoea strongly influenced attitudes to and engagement in physical activity. This study revealed heterogenous patient perspectives regarding the importance of physical activity and exercise. Future interventions that mitigate fear and promote the value of physical activity for individuals with pulmonary hypertension may have considerable benefits in promoting physical activity engagement. Such interventions require multidisciplinary involvement, including specialised pulmonary hypertension clinicians and exercise and behaviour change specialists.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 31, 2017

PLOS ONE

Objective Physical activity (PA) is an established adjunct therapy for pulmonary hypertension (PH... more Objective Physical activity (PA) is an established adjunct therapy for pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients to mitigate PH symptoms and improve quality of life. However, PA engagement within this population remains low. This study investigated PH patients’ knowledge of PA, recalled advice, exercise preferences and PA support needs. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 adults (mean age 50 years; SD ±12 years) diagnosed with PH, living in Ireland. Interview scripts were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four key themes were identified: Lack of PA knowledge; exercise setting preference; accountability and monitoring; and clinician delivered PA information and guidance. Conclusion This study found that PH clinicians provide suboptimal PA advice, yet patients desired clinician-delivered PA guidance. Home-based exercise was preferred with monitoring and external accountability deemed as important to fa...

Annals of Behavioural Science, 2018

Frontiers in Psychology, 2017

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2015

We applied the strength-energy model of self-control to understand the relationship between self-... more We applied the strength-energy model of self-control to understand the relationship between self-control and young athletes’ behavioral responses to taking illegal performance-enhancing substances, or “doping.” Measures of trait self-control, attitude and intention toward doping, intention toward, and adherence to, doping-avoidant behaviors, and the prevention of unintended doping behaviors were administered to 410 young Australian athletes. Participants also completed a “lollipop” decision-making protocol that simulated avoidance of unintended doping. Hierarchical linear multiple regression analyses revealed that self-control was negatively associated with doping attitude and intention, and positively associated with the intention and adherence to doping-avoidant behaviors, and refusal to take or eat the unfamiliar candy offered in the “lollipop” protocol. Consistent with the strength-energy model, athletes with low self-control were more likely to have heightened attitude and inte...

Nutrients, 2015

In this Special Issue, entitled "Food choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective", ... more In this Special Issue, entitled "Food choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective", three broad themes have been identified: (1) social and environmental influences on food choice; (2) psychological influences on eating behaviour; and (3) eating behaviour profiling. The studies that addressed the social and environmental influences indicated that further research would do well to promote positive food choices rather than reduce negative food choices; promote the reading and interpretation of food labels and find ways to effectively market healthy food choices through accessibility, availability and presentation. The studies on psychological influences found that intentions, perceived behavioural control, and confidence were predictors of healthy eating. Given the importance of psychological factors, such as perceived behavioural control and self-efficacy, healthy eating interventions should reduce barriers to healthy eating and foster perceptions of confidence to consume a healthy diet. The final theme focused on the clustering of individuals according to eating behaviour. Some "types" of individuals reported more frequent consumption of fast foods, ready meals or convenience meals or greater levels of disinhibition and less control over food cravings. Intervention designs which make use of multi-level strategies as advocated by the Ecological Model of Behaviour change that proposes multi-level (combining psychological, social and environmental) strategies are likely to be more effective in reaching and engaging individuals susceptible to unhealthy eating habits than interventions operating on a single level.

BMJ Open

IntroductionNovel therapies for pulmonary hypertension (PH) have improved survival and slowed dis... more IntroductionNovel therapies for pulmonary hypertension (PH) have improved survival and slowed disease progression. However, patients still present with symptoms of exertional dyspnoea and fatigue, which impacts their ability to perform activities of daily living, reduces exercise tolerance and impairs their quality of life (QoL). Exercise training has shown to be safe and effective at enhancing QoL and physical function in PH patients, yet it remains an underused adjunct therapy. Most exercise training for PH patients has been offered through hospital-based programmes. Home-based exercise programmes provide an alternative model that has the potential to increase the availability and accessibility of exercise training as an adjunct therapy in PH. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, utility and safety of a novel remotely supervised home-based PH exercise programme.MethodsSingle arm intervention with a pre/post comparisons design and a follow-up ...

The present work investigated episodic memories to identify influences on healthiness of everyday... more The present work investigated episodic memories to identify influences on healthiness of everyday eating episodes carried out by members of the public. The sample included 128 healthy weight undergraduate students from an urban locality in midlands Mexico. Participants reported a recent episode when they ate either healthy or unhealthy food and what influenced them to eat that way. Reported influences were categorised and counted for testing differences in mentions between episodes of healthy and unhealthy eating. The most commonly reported influences on healthy eating episodes concerned wellbeing and weight control. The main reported influences on unhealthy eating episodes were food liking, hunger and convenience. The findings extend our understanding on the most prominent influences on eating choices, which could be useful for tailoring interventions to increase healthy eating and decrease unhealthy eating.

Relational Techniques that could be used alongside Content-based Behaviour Change Techniques to Maximise Effectiveness of Behaviour Change Interventions

Frontiers in Psychology, 2016

Counselling to promote physical activity

Routledge eBooks, Feb 17, 2015

Despite the compelling evidence of the health benefits of being physically active, few people are... more Despite the compelling evidence of the health benefits of being physically active, few people are sufficiently active to benefit their health and there is a need to focus on effective interventions to increase motivation for continued physical activity participation. Counselling interventions, such as motivational interviewing show promise in facilitating lifestyle behavioural changes through the promotion of autonomous motives for change. This chapter summarises the key principles and strategies used in motivational interviewing and outlines what exercise professionals can do to increase the likelihood that counselling will promote behaviour change. Based on the underlying principles of motivational interviewing and the strategies employed, there is real promise that motivational interviewing interventions are likely to promote long-lasting, sustained behaviour change. This is because of its central emphasis on eliciting personal motives for change, working through ambivalence, building confidence and promoting more autonomous forms of motivation

Looking for more than weight loss and fitness gain: Psycho-social dimensions among older women in a primary health care exercise referral scheme

There has been increasing interest in promoting health-enhancing exercise in primary-care service... more There has been increasing interest in promoting health-enhancing exercise in primary-care services. One popular approach in the U.K. has been general practitioner (GP) exercise-referral plans in which mostly sedentary patients are referred by GPs to an exercise program at a local leisure center. It is not clear, however, how older women assimilate such a referral system into cognitive processes associated with physical activity involvement. This interpretivist study adopted unstructured interviewing and life-story technique to embrace subjectivity and contextuality in an attempt to capture the complex processes and to explore both common and diverse experience. The study explored referred older women's accounts of their past and current experiences of physical activity and their perceptions of what blocks or motivates them to be active. Fifteen newly referred older women (50–80 years old) were interviewed at various points during their prescribed 10-week exercise program. The findings highlight the importance of psychosocial dimensions and informal networks in the referral processes.

Relational Techniques that could be used alongside Content-based Behaviour Change Techniques to Maximise Effectiveness of Behaviour Change Interventions

Frontiers in Psychology, 2016

PLOS ONE, 2020

There has been growing interest in the use of smart wearable technology to promote physical activ... more There has been growing interest in the use of smart wearable technology to promote physical activity (PA) behaviour change. However, little is known concerning PA patterns throughout an intervention or engagement with trackers. The objective of the study was to explore patterns of Fitbit-measured PA and wear-time over 24-weeks and their relationship to changes in Actigraph-derived moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Methods Twenty-nine intervention participants (88%) from the wearable activity technology and action-planning (WATAAP) trial in colorectal and endometrial cancer survivors accepted a Fitbit friend request from the research team to permit monitoring of Fitbit activity. Daily steps and active minutes were recorded for each participant over the 12-week intervention and throughout the follow-up period to 24-weeks. Accelerometer (GT9X) derived MVPA was assessed at end of intervention (12-weeks) and end of follow-up (24-weeks). Results Fitbit wear-time over the 24-weeks of data was remarkably consistent, with median adherence score of 100% for all weeks. During the intervention, participants recorded a median 8006 steps/day. Daily step count was slightly increased through week-13 to week-24 with a median of 8191 steps/day (p = 0.039). Actigraph and Fitbit derived measures were highly correlated but demonstrated poor agreement overall. Fitbit measured activity was closest to MVPA measured using Freedson cut-points as no bias was observed.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, Jan 8, 2018

To investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists towards physical activity (PA) ... more To investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists towards physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors, and the association between oncologists' own PA behavior and PA promotion. Oncologists (n = 123) completed a survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Participants reported PA promotion behavior, PA involvement, attitudes, intentions, social norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and confidence and knowledge of exercise prescription. Structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated these associations. Less than half of oncologists reported regularly promoting PA to patients (46%), with 20% providing written information and 23% referrals. Only 26% were physically active. TPB SEM pathways explained 54.6% of the variance in PA promotion (comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.905, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.040). Social norm was not only the significant pathway to intention but also a significant indirect pathway to PA promotion (p = 0.007...

Research Square (Research Square), May 24, 2023

This study explored cancer survivors' experiences of participation in a wearable intervention and... more This study explored cancer survivors' experiences of participation in a wearable intervention and the dimensions that in uenced intervention engagement and physical activity behaviour change. Semi-structured interviews (n = 23) were conducted with intervention participants (mean age 65.8 (SD ± 7.1) and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identi ed; (i) Commitment, (ii) Accountability and monitoring, (iii) Routine (iv) Fitbit as health coach. Those that assigned a higher priority to PA were more likely to schedule PA and be successful in PA change. Those less successful presented more barriers to change and engaged in more incidental PA. The Fitbit acting as health coach was the active ingredient of the intervention. Commitment evidenced through prioritising PA was the foundational dimension that in uenced PA engagement. Interventions that foster commitment to PA through increasing the value and importance of PA would be worthwhile. Wearables holds great promise in PA promotion and harnessing the technique of discrepancy between behaviour and goals is likely a valuable behaviour change technique.

Research Square (Research Square), Sep 20, 2022

Cancer survivors are at risk of comorbidities, with those in non-metropolitan areas being particu... more Cancer survivors are at risk of comorbidities, with those in non-metropolitan areas being particularly susceptible. Survivors identify unique barriers and supports to facilitate change, which may differ across survivors' geographical classi cation. Methods. Survivors from metropolitan (n = 103) and non-metropolitan (n = 80) areas in Australia described barriers and suggested supports for physical activity and dietary change via open-ended survey items. Responses underwent thematic analysis. Survivors' barriers were primarily motivational and social. Survivors suggested change supports that corresponded with barriers, encompassing accountability, information from health professionals, and supportive social environments. Non-metropolitan survivors expressed logistical barriers and desired health professionals' support. Novel insights have revealed the importance of social in uences in supporting behavioural change. As poor motivation was a primary barrier across health behaviours and locations, programs may focus on strengthening commitment for change and harnessing the value of local support networks.

Psycho-oncology, Sep 23, 2020

Objective: Interventions to increase physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors have often adopte... more Objective: Interventions to increase physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors have often adopted a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, and may benefit from being tailored to psychological constructs associated with behavior. The study objective was to investigate the exercise preferences and psychological constructs related to PA among cancer survivors. Methods: Post-treatment colorectal, endometrial, and breast cancer survivors (n=183) living in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas completed survey measures of PA, exercise preferences, attitudes, self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention toward PA. Results: A structural equation model with adequate fit and quality indices revealed that instrumental attitude and self-efficacy were related to PA intention. Intention was related to behavior and mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and behavior. Preferred exercise intensity was related to self-efficacy, PBC, attitudes, and intention, while preferred exercise company was related to self-efficacy and PBC. Participants preferred moderate-intensity PA (71%), specifically self-paced (52%) walking (65%) in an outdoor environment (58%). Conclusions: Since instrumental attitude and self-efficacy were associated with PA, incorporating persuasive communications targeting attitudes in PA interventions may promote PA participation. As cancer survivors who prefer low-intensity exercise and exercising with others report lower self-efficacy and PBC, interventions targeting confidence and successful experience in this group may also be warranted.

International journal of sport and exercise psychology, Mar 14, 2018

In some cases, doping in sport is an intentional goal-directed behavior, but research 28 suggests... more In some cases, doping in sport is an intentional goal-directed behavior, but research 28 suggests that it might also occur accidentally when athletes inadvertently or unintentionally 29 consume banned performance-enhancing drugs via food, supplements or medication. Because 30 research into the psychological factors of unintentional doping is still emerging, this paper 31 aims to conduct a preliminary systematic review of all the existing literature concerning the 32 psychology of unintentional doping in sport. The systematic review was carried out via an 33 extensive search of Medline, PsycINFO, PsycTESTS, PsycARTICLES and Web of Science, 34 and reports from World Anti-Doping Agency. Among the 2,110 articles identified from the 35 search, six studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Evidence from these studies 36 suggests that the avoidance of unintentional doping could be related to a number of 37 behavioural, social and psychological factors, such as athletes' conscious awareness of, and 38 capacity to cope with, situations where they may be exposed to performance-enhancing 39 substances. Motivational factors from self-determination theory, social cognitive variables 40 and beliefs from the theory of planned behaviour, and trait self-control were also related to 41 athletes' behaviours that contribute to the avoidance of unintentional doping. On the basis of 42 this systematic review, we propose initial evidence-based suggestions that may support sport 43 scientists, team doctors, and practitioners to implement interventions or educational programs 44 to increase athletes' awareness of, and ability to avoid, unintentional doping in sport.

Pulmonary circulation, Oct 22, 2021

Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive cardiorespiratory disease that is characterized by consid... more Pulmonary hypertension is a progressive cardiorespiratory disease that is characterized by considerable morbidity and mortality. While physical activity can improve symptoms and quality of life, engagement in this population is suboptimal. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards exercise and the dimensions that influence physical activity participation in individuals with pulmonary hypertension. Virtual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals, with a formal diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. Participants were recruited through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Ireland. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Nineteen patients were interviewed (n ¼ 19). There was a female preponderance (n ¼ 13) and the mean age was 50 AE 12 years. Three themes were identified and included fear, perceived value of exercise and environmental factors. Fear was the primary theme and included three sub-themes of fear of (i) over-exertion, (ii) physical damage and (iii) breathlessness. The perceived value of exercise encompassed two distinct sub-themes of perceived (i) exercise importance and (ii) benefits of exercise. Environmental factors included the terrain, weather conditions and location. Fear of overexertion, harm and dyspnoea strongly influenced attitudes to and engagement in physical activity. This study revealed heterogenous patient perspectives regarding the importance of physical activity and exercise. Future interventions that mitigate fear and promote the value of physical activity for individuals with pulmonary hypertension may have considerable benefits in promoting physical activity engagement. Such interventions require multidisciplinary involvement, including specialised pulmonary hypertension clinicians and exercise and behaviour change specialists.

Frontiers in Psychology, Jan 31, 2017

PLOS ONE

Objective Physical activity (PA) is an established adjunct therapy for pulmonary hypertension (PH... more Objective Physical activity (PA) is an established adjunct therapy for pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients to mitigate PH symptoms and improve quality of life. However, PA engagement within this population remains low. This study investigated PH patients’ knowledge of PA, recalled advice, exercise preferences and PA support needs. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 adults (mean age 50 years; SD ±12 years) diagnosed with PH, living in Ireland. Interview scripts were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Four key themes were identified: Lack of PA knowledge; exercise setting preference; accountability and monitoring; and clinician delivered PA information and guidance. Conclusion This study found that PH clinicians provide suboptimal PA advice, yet patients desired clinician-delivered PA guidance. Home-based exercise was preferred with monitoring and external accountability deemed as important to fa...

Annals of Behavioural Science, 2018

Frontiers in Psychology, 2017

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2015

We applied the strength-energy model of self-control to understand the relationship between self-... more We applied the strength-energy model of self-control to understand the relationship between self-control and young athletes’ behavioral responses to taking illegal performance-enhancing substances, or “doping.” Measures of trait self-control, attitude and intention toward doping, intention toward, and adherence to, doping-avoidant behaviors, and the prevention of unintended doping behaviors were administered to 410 young Australian athletes. Participants also completed a “lollipop” decision-making protocol that simulated avoidance of unintended doping. Hierarchical linear multiple regression analyses revealed that self-control was negatively associated with doping attitude and intention, and positively associated with the intention and adherence to doping-avoidant behaviors, and refusal to take or eat the unfamiliar candy offered in the “lollipop” protocol. Consistent with the strength-energy model, athletes with low self-control were more likely to have heightened attitude and inte...

Nutrients, 2015

In this Special Issue, entitled "Food choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective", ... more In this Special Issue, entitled "Food choice and Nutrition: A Social Psychological Perspective", three broad themes have been identified: (1) social and environmental influences on food choice; (2) psychological influences on eating behaviour; and (3) eating behaviour profiling. The studies that addressed the social and environmental influences indicated that further research would do well to promote positive food choices rather than reduce negative food choices; promote the reading and interpretation of food labels and find ways to effectively market healthy food choices through accessibility, availability and presentation. The studies on psychological influences found that intentions, perceived behavioural control, and confidence were predictors of healthy eating. Given the importance of psychological factors, such as perceived behavioural control and self-efficacy, healthy eating interventions should reduce barriers to healthy eating and foster perceptions of confidence to consume a healthy diet. The final theme focused on the clustering of individuals according to eating behaviour. Some "types" of individuals reported more frequent consumption of fast foods, ready meals or convenience meals or greater levels of disinhibition and less control over food cravings. Intervention designs which make use of multi-level strategies as advocated by the Ecological Model of Behaviour change that proposes multi-level (combining psychological, social and environmental) strategies are likely to be more effective in reaching and engaging individuals susceptible to unhealthy eating habits than interventions operating on a single level.

BMJ Open

IntroductionNovel therapies for pulmonary hypertension (PH) have improved survival and slowed dis... more IntroductionNovel therapies for pulmonary hypertension (PH) have improved survival and slowed disease progression. However, patients still present with symptoms of exertional dyspnoea and fatigue, which impacts their ability to perform activities of daily living, reduces exercise tolerance and impairs their quality of life (QoL). Exercise training has shown to be safe and effective at enhancing QoL and physical function in PH patients, yet it remains an underused adjunct therapy. Most exercise training for PH patients has been offered through hospital-based programmes. Home-based exercise programmes provide an alternative model that has the potential to increase the availability and accessibility of exercise training as an adjunct therapy in PH. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, utility and safety of a novel remotely supervised home-based PH exercise programme.MethodsSingle arm intervention with a pre/post comparisons design and a follow-up ...

The present work investigated episodic memories to identify influences on healthiness of everyday... more The present work investigated episodic memories to identify influences on healthiness of everyday eating episodes carried out by members of the public. The sample included 128 healthy weight undergraduate students from an urban locality in midlands Mexico. Participants reported a recent episode when they ate either healthy or unhealthy food and what influenced them to eat that way. Reported influences were categorised and counted for testing differences in mentions between episodes of healthy and unhealthy eating. The most commonly reported influences on healthy eating episodes concerned wellbeing and weight control. The main reported influences on unhealthy eating episodes were food liking, hunger and convenience. The findings extend our understanding on the most prominent influences on eating choices, which could be useful for tailoring interventions to increase healthy eating and decrease unhealthy eating.

Relational Techniques that could be used alongside Content-based Behaviour Change Techniques to Maximise Effectiveness of Behaviour Change Interventions

Frontiers in Psychology, 2016

Counselling to promote physical activity

Routledge eBooks, Feb 17, 2015

Despite the compelling evidence of the health benefits of being physically active, few people are... more Despite the compelling evidence of the health benefits of being physically active, few people are sufficiently active to benefit their health and there is a need to focus on effective interventions to increase motivation for continued physical activity participation. Counselling interventions, such as motivational interviewing show promise in facilitating lifestyle behavioural changes through the promotion of autonomous motives for change. This chapter summarises the key principles and strategies used in motivational interviewing and outlines what exercise professionals can do to increase the likelihood that counselling will promote behaviour change. Based on the underlying principles of motivational interviewing and the strategies employed, there is real promise that motivational interviewing interventions are likely to promote long-lasting, sustained behaviour change. This is because of its central emphasis on eliciting personal motives for change, working through ambivalence, building confidence and promoting more autonomous forms of motivation

Looking for more than weight loss and fitness gain: Psycho-social dimensions among older women in a primary health care exercise referral scheme

There has been increasing interest in promoting health-enhancing exercise in primary-care service... more There has been increasing interest in promoting health-enhancing exercise in primary-care services. One popular approach in the U.K. has been general practitioner (GP) exercise-referral plans in which mostly sedentary patients are referred by GPs to an exercise program at a local leisure center. It is not clear, however, how older women assimilate such a referral system into cognitive processes associated with physical activity involvement. This interpretivist study adopted unstructured interviewing and life-story technique to embrace subjectivity and contextuality in an attempt to capture the complex processes and to explore both common and diverse experience. The study explored referred older women's accounts of their past and current experiences of physical activity and their perceptions of what blocks or motivates them to be active. Fifteen newly referred older women (50–80 years old) were interviewed at various points during their prescribed 10-week exercise program. The findings highlight the importance of psychosocial dimensions and informal networks in the referral processes.

Relational Techniques that could be used alongside Content-based Behaviour Change Techniques to Maximise Effectiveness of Behaviour Change Interventions

Frontiers in Psychology, 2016

PLOS ONE, 2020

There has been growing interest in the use of smart wearable technology to promote physical activ... more There has been growing interest in the use of smart wearable technology to promote physical activity (PA) behaviour change. However, little is known concerning PA patterns throughout an intervention or engagement with trackers. The objective of the study was to explore patterns of Fitbit-measured PA and wear-time over 24-weeks and their relationship to changes in Actigraph-derived moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Methods Twenty-nine intervention participants (88%) from the wearable activity technology and action-planning (WATAAP) trial in colorectal and endometrial cancer survivors accepted a Fitbit friend request from the research team to permit monitoring of Fitbit activity. Daily steps and active minutes were recorded for each participant over the 12-week intervention and throughout the follow-up period to 24-weeks. Accelerometer (GT9X) derived MVPA was assessed at end of intervention (12-weeks) and end of follow-up (24-weeks). Results Fitbit wear-time over the 24-weeks of data was remarkably consistent, with median adherence score of 100% for all weeks. During the intervention, participants recorded a median 8006 steps/day. Daily step count was slightly increased through week-13 to week-24 with a median of 8191 steps/day (p = 0.039). Actigraph and Fitbit derived measures were highly correlated but demonstrated poor agreement overall. Fitbit measured activity was closest to MVPA measured using Freedson cut-points as no bias was observed.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, Jan 8, 2018

To investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists towards physical activity (PA) ... more To investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists towards physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors, and the association between oncologists' own PA behavior and PA promotion. Oncologists (n = 123) completed a survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Participants reported PA promotion behavior, PA involvement, attitudes, intentions, social norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and confidence and knowledge of exercise prescription. Structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated these associations. Less than half of oncologists reported regularly promoting PA to patients (46%), with 20% providing written information and 23% referrals. Only 26% were physically active. TPB SEM pathways explained 54.6% of the variance in PA promotion (comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.905, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.040). Social norm was not only the significant pathway to intention but also a significant indirect pathway to PA promotion (p = 0.007...