Personality and Exercise: A Prospective Analysis
Using the Transtheoretical Model o f Behavior Change
Exercise is related to a reduced risk for a variety o f illnesses including
cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes (Blair, Kohl, Gordon, & Paffenbarger, 1992).
However, research on the adoption and maintenance of exercise demonstrates that people
often have difficulty maintaining exercise routines (Connor & Norman, 1996) with
approximately one half of the participants in exercise programs dropping out within six
months (Martin & Dubbert, 1985). As a result, a significant amount of research has
focused on understanding the myriad variables that influence both the adoption and
maintenance o f exercise behavior.