The effects of a home-based physical activity intervention and motivational interviewing program on the mental health of older adults

[Truncated abstract] Background: Regular Physical activity (PA) is believed to contribute positively to mental health (MH) (Penedo & Dhan (2005). Likewise, PA interventions appear to be efficacious in improving MH and quality of life (QOL) among older adults (Netz, Wu, Becker & Tenenbaum, 2005). However, in order to forward our understanding of effective strategies to optimise MH and QOL among older adults, continued research to test variations in PA intervention components and delivery is required (Conn, Valentine & Cooper, 2002). Parent Study: The data for this thesis was collected as part of a parent project ‘Motivating Older adults to Value Exercise’ (MOVES). The primary aim of the MOVES study was to evaluate the short and long-term effect of a 6-month PA program and educational and counselling approaches on retention, adherence, PA, health and fitness of 50-80 year olds. Study Objectives: This thesis aimed to examine the changes in QOL and MH with a 6- month PA program to determine whether behavioural education and motivational interviewing (independently/combined) would result in greater improvements in QOL and MH, compared to standard education and standard counselling (independently/combined). The theoretical basis was developed in conjunction with the MOVES project, and the research questions and hypotheses for this thesis were developed by the author. Study Hypotheses: It was hypothesised that improvement in QOL and MH in the short and long-term would be: a.) greater for participants in the three groups who received behavioural education and/or motivational interviewing compared with participants in the standard education and standard counselling group; b.) greater for participants who received behavioural education compared with standard education; and c.) greater for participants who received motivational interviewing compared with standard counselling.