Improving adherence to physical activity.

Tested the efficacy of G. A. Marlatt and I. R. Gordon's (1980, 1985) relapse-prevention approach in increasing attendance during an exercise program and continuation of exercise activities for 12 wks following termination of the formal program. The 350 Ss in Study 1 and 243 Ss in Study 2 were registrants in 10-wk exercise groups (jogging, aerobic dance, and pre-ski training). The intervention, designed to increase awareness of obstacles to exercise and to develop appropriate techniques for coping with them, was delivered by group leaders within the context of the regular program. Results indicate a small but consistent superiority of adherence in the experimental condition compared to the control condition. The low cost of this intervention, however, makes even small gains cost effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)