The role of enjoyment in the exercise-mood relationship

In this study, we examined whether enjoyment mediated the acute mood change s associated with exercise. Male volunteers (N = 95) completed a demographi cs questionnaire, POMS, and Lie-scale prior to rock-climbing (n = 42) or pa rticipating in a health education class (n = 53) which included lecture and video presentations on rock-climbing. Following the activity, participants completed measures of mood (POMS) and enjoyment (PACES). Results of both a n activity x time MANOVA and an activity MANCOVA indicated that rock-climbe rs reported greater improvements in mood than did the health education stud ents (p < .0001). Canonical correlation demonstrated that a combination of en joyment scores and activity were related to acute changes in tension, de pression, and vigor (p < .0001). Path analysis revealed that PACES scores h ad a direct ef: feet on changes in mood disturbance (TMD) activity had an i ndirect effect on TMD change via enjoyment scores. Further clarifying the r ole of enjoyment, regression analyses suggested that enjoyment scores media ted the TMD changes associated with rock-climbing and the health education class. It was concluded that enjoyment appeared to mediate the acute mood c hanges associated with rock-climbing and a health education class.