ArticlePublisher preview available

Better together: The impact of exercising with a romantic partner

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

November 2021
38(11):3078-3096

DOI:10.1177/02654075211012086

Authors:

Many people have goals to increase their physical activity levels through engaging in exercise, but have difficulty establishing and maintaining an exercise routine. Research shows that people are more successful at exercising if they do so together with their romantic partner. In this study, we examined how exercising with a romantic partner may influence the experience of exercise itself, as well as people’s daily experiences. Specifically, we examined how joint exercise influences daily and exercise affect, daily relationship satisfaction, and amount of daily exercise. Young adults who were currently involved in a romantic relationship (N = 95) completed intake questionnaires and 14 daily reports of their exercise behavior, exercise and daily affect, and daily relationship satisfaction. Multilevel models showed that on days when people exercised with their romantic partner, they experienced higher positive affect during exercise, higher daily positive affect, and were more satisfied with their relationship compared to days when they exercised without their partner. No effects were found on daily and exercise negative affect, or amount of exercise. This study illustrates how exercising with a romantic partner may improve people’s experience of both exercising and their daily experiences, and may help provide a reason why people might be more successful at maintaining their exercise routine when they exercise together with their romantic partner.

Activities reported for days exercised without partner and days exercised with partner.

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Zero-order correlations between all variables.

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Full Research Report

Better together: The

impact of exercising with a

romantic partner

Kyrsten Sackett-Fox

Judith Gere

John A. Updegraff

Kent State University, USA

Abstract

Many people have goals to increase their physical activity levels through engaging in

exercise, but have difficulty establishing and maintaining an exercise routine. Research

shows that people are more successful at exercising if they do so together with their

romantic partner. In this study, we examined how exercising with a romantic partner

may influence the experience of exercise itself, as well as people’s daily experiences.

Specifically, we examined how joint exercise influences daily and exercise affect, daily

relationship satisfaction, and amount of daily exercise. Young adults who were currently

involved in a romantic relationship (N ¼95) completed intake questionnaires and 14

daily reports of their exercise behavior, exercise and daily affect, and daily relationship

satisfaction. Multilevel models showed that on days when people exercised with their

romantic partner, they experienced higher positive affect during exercise, higher daily

positive affect, and were more satisfied with their relationship compared to days when

they exercised without their partner. No effects were found on daily and exercise

negative affect, or amount of exercise. This study illustrates how exercising with a

romantic partner may improve people’s experience of both exercising and their daily

experiences, and may help provide a reason why people might be more successful at

maintaining their exercise routine when they exercise together with their romantic

partner.

Corresponding author:

Kyrsten Sackett-Fox, Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent,

OH 44242, USA.

Email: ksacket4@kent.edu

Journal of Social and

Personal Relationships

ªThe Author(s) 2021

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DOI: 10.1177/02654075211012086

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J S P R

2021, Vol. 38(11) 3078 –3096

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References

Chapter

Aug 2023

Why do people fall in love? Does passion fade with time? What makes for a happy, healthy relationship? This introduction to relationship science follows the lifecycle of a relationship – from attraction and initiation, to the hard work of relationship maintenance, to dissolution and ways to strengthen a relationship. Designed for advanced undergraduates studying psychology, communication or family studies, this textbook presents a fresh, diversity-infused approach to relationship science. It includes real-world examples and critical-thinking questions, callout boxes that challenge students to make connections, and researcher interviews that showcase the many career paths of relationship scientists. Article Spotlights reveal cutting-edge methods, while Diversity and Inclusion boxes celebrate the variety found in human love and connection. Throughout the book, students see the application of theory and come to recognize universal themes in relationships as well as the nuances of many findings. Instructors can access lecture slides, an instructor manual, and test banks.

Confirmation, Disconfirmation, and Communal Coping for Joint Physical Activity in Romantic Dyads

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Apr 2023
HEALTH COMMUN

Most people in the United States do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). However, certain communication behaviors from romantic partners can motivate PA. Research indicates that confirming communication and communal coping (CC) in romantic relationships can increase PA efforts, but less research has examined the role of explicitly disconfirming communication or relationships between confirmation, disconfirmation, and CC on PA outcomes. We examined models in which shared PA appraisals mediate relationships between (a) confirmation and (b) disconfirmation and joint PA behavior in heterosexual, romantic dyads. Sex differences in actor and partner effects were also considered. Partners (N = 144) in 72 dyads completed assessments of key constructs. Results indicated that shared PA appraisals were critical in the confirmation model, mediating relationships between perceptions of confirmation and reports of joint PA. Unexpectedly, both partners' reports of partner disconfirmation were positively associated with their partners' reports of joint PA. Only one statistically significant sex difference emerged. Theoretical and pragmatic implications are discussed.

Social Network Structure and Combating Social Disconnection: Implications for Physical Health

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Disconnection from one’s social network has detrimental links to physical health outcomes, and there has been increased interest in treating social disconnection as a public health issue. Two perspectives guide much of the research on social networks, social disconnection, and physical health. One perspective emphasizes the quality of social ties over the quantity of social ties, whereas the other emphasizes quantity over quality. In this article, we discuss the importance of combining these perspectives to promote forming networks consisting of a few close relationships in addition to some peripheral ties to effectively combat social disconnection and maintain and promote better health. We also highlight important avenues for future research, including identifying critical moderators (e.g., age, culture) and using social network interventions to address issues of causality.

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Full-text available

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Engaging in regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) is crucial to reduce future health risk for individuals living with the effects of a stroke and their partners. Although numerous studies point to the importance of social factors in physical activity engagement, little is known about with whom individuals after stroke and their partners engage in physical activity with and whether different physical activity companions are uniquely associated with MVPA. Eighty-nine community-dwelling individuals after stroke (Mage = 68.64, SD = 10.44; 74% male) and 83 partners (Mage = 66.04, SD = 9.91; 24% male) completed 14 consecutive days of daily life assessments that included wearing physical activity monitors (accelerometers) and self-reporting physical activity companions (n = 1,961 days). Results show that average levels of MVPA were correlated between partners (r = 0.38), as were day-to-day MVPA fluctuations (r = 0.34). Importantly, for individuals after stroke, being active with their partner, but not with any other physical activity companion, was linked with elevated daily MVPA. In contrast, for partners of individuals after stroke, engaging in physical activity with a variety of different companions (partner, other family member, friend, colleague) was each associated with higher MVPA in daily life. For both individuals after stroke and their partners being active by oneself (without a companion) on a given day was not associated with elevated MVPA. Findings suggest that interventions that promote physical activity engagement should consider the role of meaningful others, with the partner being particularly key for individuals living with chronic health conditions.

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This study examines associations among social control, health behavior change, and psychological distress. Social control refers to interactions between social network members that entail regulation, influence, and constraint. Social control is predicted to have dual effects leading to better health practices while also arousing psychological distress. A random sample of 242 individuals answered questions about health practices, overall exposure to social control in their networks, and social control attempts made by a specific network member. Analyses yielded mixed support for the hypotheses, but analyses of responses to the social control attempts of a specific network member did reveal that social control predicted less health-compromising behavior and more health-enhancing behavior as well as more distress. The results suggest that social control warrants greater attention in efforts to understand how personal relationships influence health.

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The effects of stress on exercise behavior in community-residing women exercising on their own were assessed. Participants (N = 82) completed a background questionnaire and kept exercise diaries and Weekly Stress Inventories (P. J. Brantley, G. N. Jones, E. Boudreax, & S. L. Catz, 1997) for 8 consecutive weeks. During weeks with a high frequency of stressful events, participants exercised for less time and reported lower self-efficacy for meeting upcoming exercise goals. During weeks of high perceived stress, participants exercised significantly fewer days, omitted more planned exercise sessions, were less satisfied with their exercise, and had lower self-efficacy for meeting exercise goals. Findings suggest that perceptions of stressful events and cognitive reactions to missed exercise may play a significant role in mediating exercise behavior and support the view of exercise relapse as an ongoing process.

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Article

Full-text available

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PSYCHOL SPORT EXERC

Objective In dyadic planning a target person and a planning partner create plans for when, where, and how the target person will change a health-relevant behavior. Across 52 weeks, direct and indirect effects of a dyadic-planning intervention on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and physical fitness in target persons and their partners were investigated in a randomized controlled trial. Relationship quality was explored as a moderator. Methods N = 338 couples (target persons randomized) were randomly assigned to a dyadic-planning- (DPC), an individual-planning- (IPC), or a no-planning dyadic-control condition (CC). MVPA was objectively assessed four times across 52 weeks using accelerometry. Physical fitness and proposed mediators (individual action control, received behavior-specific support and control) were repeatedly assessed. Relationship quality was measured at baseline. Latent growth curve-, multi-level-, and manifest mediation models were fit. Results Across 52 weeks, MVPA of IPC and CC target persons increased. MVPA of DPC target persons remained stable, but those who reported high relationship quality increased their MVPA over time. DPC partners showed steeper increases in physical fitness when compared to IPC partners, but not CC partners. DPC partners’ increases in physical fitness were mediated by received support from target persons. Conclusions The dyadic planning intervention showed non-beneficial effects for target persons’ MVPA, but beneficial effects on their partners’ fitness. These findings resemble evidence from the social support literature indicating more benefits for support providers than for recipients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01963494.

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Article

Full-text available

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Background Overall time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior are both correlated in couples. Knowledge about the nature and psychosocial correlates of such dyadic covariation could inform important avenues for physical activity promotion. Purpose The present study investigates hour-by-hour covariation between partners (i.e., synchrony) in MVPA and sedentary behavior as partners engage in their daily lives and links it with person-level MVPA/sedentary behavior, temporal characteristics, and relationship variables. Methods We used 7-day accelerometer data from two couple studies (Study 1, n = 306 couples, aged 18–80 years; Study 2, n = 108 couples, aged 60–87 years) to estimate dyadic covariation in hourly MVPA and sedentary behavior between partners. Data were analyzed using coordinated multilevel modeling. Results In both studies, hourly MVPA and sedentary behavior exhibited similarly sized dyadic covariation between partners in the low-to-medium range of effects. Higher MVPA synchrony between partners was linked with higher individual weekly MVPA and higher individual weekly sedentary levels, whereas higher sedentary synchrony between partners was associated with higher individual weekly MVPA but lower individual weekly sedentary levels. MVPA and sedentary synchrony were higher in the morning and evening, more pronounced on weekends, and associated with more time spent together, longer relationship duration, and time-varying perceptions of higher partner closeness. Conclusions This study demonstrates that MVPA and sedentary behaviors do not occur in a social vacuum. Instead, they are linked with close others such as partners. Thus, capitalizing on social partners may increase the effectiveness of individual-level physical activity interventions.

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In contemporary society, people experience considerable stress in their daily lives. Therefore, developing effective approaches and convenient means to cope with their mood problems is important nowadays. Physical activity has been consistently reported as a cost-effective way to improve physical fitness, prevent mental illnesses, and alleviate mood problems. In this systematic review, the effects of exercise intensity, duration, and modality on mood change are discussed. Results show that moderate-intensity anaerobic exercise is associated with greater mood improvements. The relationship between exercise duration and mood change is non-linear; A regime of 10- to 30-minute exercise is sufficient for mood improvements. For exercise modality, anaerobic exercise improves mood, but the efficacy of aerobic and mindfulness-related exercises remains to be further examined. In addition to the systematic review of potential moderators, a narrative review of psychological and neurophysiological theories of exercise effects on mood is provided; we have highlighted the central role of neuroplasticity in integrating the two classes of theories. An adoption of neuroimaging techniques in future research is critical to reveal the mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic influence of physical activity on affective responses. Some future research directions are also raised.

When Adults Don’t Exercise: Behavioral Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in Sedentary Middle-Aged and Older Adults

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Physical activity is one of the most promising nonpharmacological, noninvasive, and cost-effective methods of health-promotion, yet statistics show that only a small percentage of middle-aged and older adults engage in the recommended amount of regular exercise. This state of affairs is less likely due to a lack of knowledge about the benefits of exercise than to failures of motivation and self-regulatory mechanisms. Many types of intervention programs target exercise in later life, but they typically do not achieve sustained behavior change, and there has been very little increase in the exercise rate in the population over the last decade. The goal of this paper is to consider the use of effective low-cost motivational and behavioral strategies for increasing physical activity, which could have far-reaching benefits at the individual and population levels. We present a multicomponent framework to guide development of behavior change interventions to increase and maintain physical activity among sedentary adults and others at risk for health problems. This involves a personalized approach to motivation and behavior change, which includes social support, goal setting, and positive affect coupled with cognitive restructuring of negative and self-defeating attitudes and misconceptions. These strategies can lead to increases in exercise self-efficacy and control beliefs as well as self- management skills such as self-regulation and action planning, which in turn are expected to lead to long-term increases in activity. These changes in activity frequency and intensity can ultimately lead to improvements in physical and psychological well-being among middle-aged and older adults, including those from underserved, vulnerable populations. Even a modest increase in physical activity can have a significant impact on health and quality of life. Recommendations for future interventions include a focus on ways to achieve personalized approaches, broad outreach, and maintenance of behavior changes.

Mediation, moderation, and context: Understanding complex relations among cognition, affect, and health behaviour

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May 2017

Objective: Researchers have historically treated cognition and affect as separate constructs in motivating health behaviour. We present a framework and empirical evidence for complex relations between cognition and affect in predicting health behaviour. Main Outcome, Design and Results: First, affect and cognition can mediate each other’s relation to health behaviour. Second, affect and cognition can moderate the other’s impact. Third, context can change the interplay of affect and cognition. Fourth, affect and cognition may be indelibly fused in some psychological constructs (e.g. worry, anticipated regret and reactance). These four propositions in our framework are not mutually exclusive. Conclusion: Examination of the types of complex relations described here can benefit theory development, empirical testing of theories and intervention design. Doing so will advance the understanding of mechanisms involved in regulation of health behaviours and the effectiveness of interventions to change health behaviours.

Can you make my goals easier to achieve? Effects of partner instrumentality on goal pursuit and relationship satisfaction

Article

Jun 2017

Goal pursuits are strongly influenced by romantic partners, and a partner's instrumentality to goals may be particularly important for goal pursuit. This study examined the effects of partner instrumentality on goal‐related effort, goal progress, goal commitment, and relationship satisfaction over time. It also examined whether relationship satisfaction moderated the effects of partner instrumentality on goal pursuit processes. Newly dating romantic partners (N = 59 couples) reported on their goals and relationship satisfaction at two assessments 3 months apart. Multilevel models indicated that partner instrumentality predicted increases in progress over time but only for those high in relationship satisfaction. Partner instrumentality also predicted increases in one's own relationship satisfaction but was unrelated to changes in the partner's satisfaction. These findings suggest that partner instrumentality benefits increased goal progress, particularly for those with satisfying relationships, and further increases relationship satisfaction.

Interpersonal Processes of Couples’ Daily Support for Goal Pursuit: The Example of Physical Activity

Article

Nov 2017

Little is known about how couples’ social support facilitates the pursuit of important goals in daily life. Using an interpersonal perspective, we examined the effects of support provision and receipt on same-day physical activity, and studied the role of partners’ joint engagement in activities. One hundred nineteen heterosexual couples reported on target persons’ received and partners’ provided support across 28 diary days, yielding 2,854 valid days. A dyadic report on couples’ joint engagement was obtained from a subset of 88 couples. Target persons’ daily activity was objectively assessed via accelerometers. On days with high versus low levels of provided support, target persons’ activity was 25 min higher. Support receipt mediated 20% of this effect. Joint engagement accounted for around half of the effects of provided and received support. Support provision is uniquely linked to goal implementation in everyday life. Joint engagement in activities may be one explanation for how support is facilitated.

Associations between social control, motivation, and exercise: How romantic partners influence exercise during young adulthood

Article

Aug 2017
J HEALTH PSYCHOL

This study investigated whether positive and negative romantic partner social control attempts (persuasion and pressure, respectively) were related to approach-avoidance motives and exercise among young adults (N = 98), using daily reports. Daily persuasion was linked to higher daily approach motives. At the person level, persuasion was associated with higher approach and avoidance motives in addition to more frequent, longer exercise. Pressure was associated with higher daily relationship stress, which was associated with higher daily avoidance motives. At the person level, pressure was related to less frequent, shorter exercise. Thus, romantic partners’ social control use correlates with exercise motives and behavior.

Better together: The impact of exercising with a romantic partner

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