Do Adults' Physical Activity Levels Effect Their Perceptions of Benefits/Barriers to Exercise and Their Perceptions of Physical Self
Conditions: Health Behavior, Healthy Persons, Exercise, Exercise Adherence, Physical Activity in Adults, Physical Activity Maintenance, Self Concept
Sponsor: Istinye University

Do Adults' Physical Activity Levels Effect 
Their Perceptions of Benefits/Barriers to 
Exercise and Their Perceptions of Physical 
Self? 
 
 
27.6. 2025

Study Protocol 
 
This is a cross-sectional study. Permission was received from the Ondokuz Mayıs 
University Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities Ethics Committee for this study 
protocol (Decision No. 2020/666). Confirmation was obtained from all individuals 
participating in the study that they had accepted the informed consent form before the survey. 
Healthy individuals between the ages of 18-65 were included in the study. Individuals who 
were engaged in professional sports, had any cognitive problems, had a recent surgical 
operation, were in COVID-19 quarantine or had any health problem that could affect their 
physical activity level and a BMI > 35 kg/m2 were not included in the study. The sample size 
of the study was found to be a total of 381 people with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% 
margin of error, taking the study of Yazıcıoğlu and Erdoğan as a reference. Consequently, 450 
individuals were invited to the research (Yazıcıoğlu & Erdoğan, 2014). The study was 
completed with 243 individuals. [Figure 1 is near here]. 
 
Data collection tools 
 
Participants filled out a demographic information form online, asking for age, height, 
weight, gender, body mass index, disease, and exercise history. The physical activity levels of 
the participants were determined with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short 
Form (UAFAA-International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form)(Craig et al., 2003). 
A validity and reliability study of the survey was conducted in Turkey (Saglam et al., 2010). In 
our study, the short form of the questionnaire, which could be self-administered and included 
the "last seven days," was used to evaluate the physical activity level. This short form consists 
of seven questions and provides information about sitting, walking, moderate-intensity 
activities, and time spent in vigorous activities. Calculating the short form total score includes 
the sum of the duration (minutes) and frequency (days) of walking, moderate-intensity activity, 

and vigorous activity. The seating score is calculated separately. In evaluating all activities, the 
criterion is that each activity is done for at least 10 minutes at a time. A score of “MET- 
minute/week” is obtained by multiplying the minute, day, and MET value (multiples of resting 
oxygen consumption). In calculating the walking score, walking time (minutes) is multiplied 
by 3.3 METs. In the calculation, a value of 4 MET is taken for moderately intense activity and 
8 MET for vigorous activity. Physical activity level is classified into three groups: inactive, 
minimally active, and very active groups (Craig et al., 2003; Saglam et al., 2010). 
 
The Exercise Benefit/Barrier Scale was used to measure participants' perceptions of 
benefits and barriers to exercise (Sechrist et al., 1987). A validity and reliability study of the 
questionnaire was conducted in Turkey (Ortabag et al., 2010). Consisting of a total of 43 items, 
29 items of the scale measure the perception of benefits towards exercise, while the remaining 
14 items measure the person's perception of obstacles to exercise. As the total score on the scale 
increases, the individual's perception of the benefits of exercise also increases. On the exercise 
barrier scale, unlike the exercise benefit scale and the combined scale, as the scale score 
increases, the perceived barrier to exercise also increases (Ortabag et al., 2010; Sechrist et al., 
1987). In our study, participants' perceptions of exercise barriers and benefits were calculated 
separately. 
 
The Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) was used to evaluate the participants' 
physical self-perception. Validity and reliability studies of this inventory were conducted by 
Aşçı et al. in 1996 in Turkey (F. Aşçı, 1996). In the inventory, the participant is first asked to 
evaluate two different options and then decide how similar the participant is to each of these 
options. Scoring is done on a scale of one to four. The inventory consists of 30 questions 
consisting of five sub-parameters. The parameters are listed as sports ability, physical condition, 
body attractiveness, strength and general physical ability. (F. Aşçı, 1996; Fox & Corbin, 1989). 

Analysis of data 
 
In the analysis of the data obtained, since the assumption of homogeneity and normality 
between the groups could not be achieved according to the level of physical activity, the Kruskal 
Wallis test and the post-hoc test with Benforroni correction were used where differences 
between groups were detected. Since the assumption of homogeneity and normality could not 
be achieved in the groups separated according to exercise habits, the Mann Whitney U test was 
used. 
 
References 
 
 
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Pratt, M., Ekelund, U., Yngve, A., & Sallis, J. F. (2003). International physical activity 
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Fox, K. R., & Corbin, C. B. (1989). The physical self-perception profile: Development and 
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Ortabag, T., Ceylan, S., Akyuz, A., & Bebis, H. (2010). The validity and reliability of the 
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Sechrist, K. R., Walker, S. N., & Pender, N. J. (1987). Development and psychometric 
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Yayıncılık.