Groupness and adherence in structured exercise settings.

This study examined the relationship between groupness and self-reported exercise adherence. Exercise participants (N = 86) recalled a structured setting where they had been active with others during the last six months. To capture groupness, five group variables (i.e., common fate, mutual benefit, social structure, group processes, and self-categorization) were assessed. Indicators of self-reported adherence were participant's recall of frequency (times/month) and percent attendance in a specified structured exercise setting. Results from structural equation modeling revealed an acceptable fit: χ2 = 18.89, p > .05, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.075, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.95 for the hypothesized model. Groupness was positively related to self-reported adherence explaining 20% of the variance in adherence. These findings provide preliminary support for the idea that perceiving a collection of exercise participants as being more like a group may be associated with adherence in a structured exercise setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)