Yue Liao1, Olga Solomon2, Genevieve F Dunton3. 1. 1 Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. 2. 2 USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 3. 3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a real-time self-report strategy, to examine (1) whether dog owners were more likely to be physically active when they were with their dogs and (2) whether being with a dog amplifies positive and dampens negative affective response during physical activity. DESIGN: Electronic EMA surveys for 12 days. SETTING: Free-living. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-one adult dog owners. MEASURES: The EMA survey included 1 question about current activity, 3 questions about positive affect (Cronbach α = .837), 4 questions about negative affect (Cronbach α = .865), and 1 question about the presence of dog. ANALYSIS: Multilevel modeling. RESULTS: The company of a dog did not increase the likelihood of being active versus sedentary at any given EMA prompt. However, greater positive affect during physical activity was reported in the company of a dog. Negative affect did not differ between active and sedentary activity, regardless of being with a dog or not. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the utility of electronic EMA as a promising methodology to study dog-accompanied physical activity. Future studies may use EMA to collect further contextual information about dog-accompanied activity to inform the development of innovative physical activity interventions.
PURPOSE: This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a real-time self-report strategy, to examine (1) whether dog owners were more likely to be physically active when they were with their dogs and (2) whether being with a dog amplifies positive and dampens negative affective response during physical activity. DESIGN: Electronic EMA surveys for 12 days. SETTING: Free-living. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-one adult dog owners. MEASURES: The EMA survey included 1 question about current activity, 3 questions about positive affect (Cronbach α = .837), 4 questions about negative affect (Cronbach α = .865), and 1 question about the presence of dog. ANALYSIS: Multilevel modeling. RESULTS: The company of a dog did not increase the likelihood of being active versus sedentary at any given EMA prompt. However, greater positive affect during physical activity was reported in the company of a dog. Negative affect did not differ between active and sedentary activity, regardless of being with a dog or not. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the utility of electronic EMA as a promising methodology to study dog-accompanied physical activity. Future studies may use EMA to collect further contextual information about dog-accompanied activity to inform the development of innovative physical activity interventions.
Entities:
Keywords:
affect; dog ownership; ecological momentary assessment; physical activity
Authors: Tyler B Mason; Kathryn E Smith; Lisa M Anderson; Lauren M Schaefer; Scott G Engel; Scott J Crow; Ross D Crosby; Carol B Peterson; Stephen A Wonderlich Journal: Clin Psychol Sci Date: 2021-04-13