Emotion Regulation During Physical Recreational Activities among Adult Women. Summary of the Doctoral Thesis
Authors:   ,   RSU Latvian Academy of Sport Education, Ulme Gundega 
Published: January 2025

In Europe and the world, the stress is increasingly laid on psychic disease prophylaxis and health promotion, as the countries gained awareness not only of the topicality of the problem, but also of the economic advantages of an emotionally healthy society, with physical activities being one of the tools for maintaining physical and emotional health as one of the cornerstones of health. Still, data related to emotional problems in people are worrying. According to the information provided by the World Health Organization [WHO], depression is one of the most widespread non-infectious diseases, which overall generates the greatest load on social health by causing inability to work. Anxiety and depression are the most widespread psychic health disorders in the European Union [EU], with annual impact on 20.9% (that is, 99.4 million) people. Statistical data shows that clinical anxiety is experienced by 40 million of American residents or 18% of the population (Ratey & Hagerman, 2008). Psychic disease prophylaxis is the responsibility of every person, thus the ability to assess and the capacity to regulate one’s emotions can be one of the tools for maintaining both physical and emotional health. Simultaneously, it is essential to offer to the society ideas and scientifically verified methods for emotion regulation. Studies indicate a clear relation between physical activity habits and emotional health, but statistical data also indicates that physical activities, including physical recreational activities are insufficient, as the society is becoming increasingly sedentary with the ensuing consequences. Lack of physical activities is the fourth most common cause of death (Kohl et al., 2012). A sedentary lifestyle leads to an increased risk of various diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc., as well as having negative impact on psychic health, leading to a greater probability of a person succumbing to stress, anxiety and depression (Warburton, Nicol & Bredin, 2006). An adult person is at the age when he or she is capable of working. Sick leaves give rise to the national-level interest in engaging people in physical activities that aim at recreation. Leisure physical activities have a positive impact on a person’s emotional condition and have positive correlation with happiness (Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013). Studies show that physical activities can be related to stress; in other words, regular physical activities can both facilitate stress resistance or stress tolerance and cause stress, depending on the intensity of the exercise and other factors, such as social factors. There are no unambiguous studies on the type and intensity of physical activities needed to regulate emotions, reduce anxiety and distress and increase subjective vitality. For instance, whereas monotonous and rhythmic physical activities of moderate intensity are recommended for emotion regulation, activities that are rather unforeseeable and unpredictable are recommended for stress regulation promotion, as these activities habituate people to stress. Physical recreational activities are low-cost undertakings that take place in nature. Their aim is to achieve joy and well-being, with nature providing emotion regulation by stabilising positive emotions. By planning outdoor recreational activities according to recommendations already developed in scientific literature, it is possible to take care of one’s emotional health while gaining positive emotions, reducing anxiety and raising subjective vitality. In conducting a theoretical study, the results gained in analysing scientific literature were used for developing recommendations for a physical recreational activities model. In view of recommendations for regulating emotions, anxiety and subjective vitality, people are able to take daily and conscious care of their emotional health irrespective of income and working hours, thus taking on responsibility of their health and simultaneously promoting health in the society as a whole.
The Doctoral Thesis was developed at the Latvian Academy of Sport Education from 2013 to 2024. Defence: at the public session of the Promotion Council of Health Sciences on 23 May 2024 at 15.30 in the room 205., LASE (Brivibas gatve 333, Riga). 3.3 Health Sciences; Sub-Sector – Sport pedagogy.
Keywords: emotions; outdoor physical recreational activities; model; regulation; stress; subjective vitality; trait anxiety; anxiety; state anxiety.