Construction and validation of a perceived physical fitness scale.

Numerous researchers have demonstrated that improvements in physical conditioning can influence one's psychological functioning. Heaps proposed in 1978 that physical improvement does not improve psychological functioning. Heaps contended that only when an individual is cognitively aware of the physical improvement can one expect psychological functioning to be enhanced through physical activity. The purpose of this study was to construct a valid and reliable instrument to assess an individual's perception of his physical fitness.