Exercise and Dating Relationship Patterns of University Students: Associations with Mood and Traits

Abstract

Introduction. In the last couple of decades, obesity rates have increased steadily. Understanding and increasing physical activity is a key to tackling this issue, especially for college students. Additionally, these young adults are entering into more intimate and committed relationships. The connection between exercise and dating relationships is unknown, as studies of social influences on exercise have neglected this central relationship in college students’ lives. Another feature to understanding both exercise and dating relationship patterns are mood and trait associations. A review of the existing research connects these four variables and offers possible models for their mechanisms. Methods. Analyses included data for mood and traits from the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ), respectively. Novel measures of the exercise and relationship variables were developed from the Motivational Structure Questionnaire (MSQ). The relationship variables included dating goals, relationship satisfaction, and dating relationship status. Results. All analyses performed for total group and separately for each sex, and many sex differences were found. Analyses replicated previous associations found between mood and both physical activity and dating relationship variables. For novel findings, various types of analyses (correlations, ANOVAs, chi-square, and multiple regression) indicated associations between the exercise and dating relationship variables. Analyses also included mediation of negative affect between exercise and relationship satisfaction. Lastly, the investigation explored associations between alternative physical activity measures as well as desired body change, including weight loss, with the mood, exercise, and dating relationship variables. Conclusions. Dating relationship patterns were associated with exercise variables, and negative affect may mediate this association for relationship satisfaction. Sex differences were found.