Individual Differences in Negative Affectivity and Physical Activity in Adolescents: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies Vol. 27; no. 9; pp. 2772 - 2779
• Main Authors: Cushing, Christopher C., Bejarano, Carolina M., Mitchell, Tarrah B., Noser, Amy E., Crick, Cristopher J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.09.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescents; Anger; Anxiety; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Ecological momentary assessment; Exercise; Individual differences; Mental depression; Negative emotions; Original Research; Physical activity; Psychology; Random effects; Self report; Social Sciences; Sociology; Teenagers; Time use; Ecological momentary assessment; Physical activity; Adolescent; Negative affect
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-018-1128-y

To examine the bi-directional relationships between negative affectivity (i.e., depression, anxiety, and anger) and adolescents’ physical activity in nearly real time. Twenty-six adolescents ( M age  = 15.67 ± 1.56 years; 57.7% male) were asked to complete 80 self-report measures of their negative affect (depression, anxiety, and anger) via a smartphone app and wear an accelerometer as an objective assessment of their physical activity over 20 consecutive days. Negative fixed effects emerged for within-person depression and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as well as for within-person anger and MVPA. Further, there were significant random effects for each of the within-person negative affect variables and MVPA. Study findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in the association between negative affect constructs and physical activity.