ORIGINAL PAPER
Physical activity, evaluation of menopause, life satisfaction and influence tactics in marriage of perimenopausal women
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Social and Environmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
 
 
Submission date: 2016-03-22
 
 
Final revision date: 2016-05-30
 
 
Acceptance date: 2016-05-30
 
 
Online publication date: 2016-10-19
 
 
Publication date: 2016-10-19
 
 
Health Psychology Report 2017;5(1):48-54
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background
Domination of the biomedical approach to menopause may imply creation of negative attitudes to the phenomenon, and at the same time negatively affect women’s life satisfaction and behaviour in the family. It is assumed that physical activity may be a defensive factor, as this type of activity may reduce the intensity of menopause symptoms. The aim of the research was to determine the relation between menopause evaluation, life satisfaction and tactics of influence employed in marriage by women who differ in involvement in physical exercise.

Participants and procedure
The research was conducted among 90 women, at the age of 45-55: 45 physically active women and 45 women who do not engage in any physical activity. The following research methods were used: the Menopause Evaluation Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and the Questionnaire of Influence in Close Relations of Women and Men.

Results
Positive evaluation of menopause was related to involvement in physical exercise as well as to a stronger tendency to use positive strategies of exerting influence on one’s spouse. The research also showed a slight correlation between life satisfaction and involvement in physical exercise. Negative evaluation of menopause was related to avoiding physical activity.

Conclusions
Physical activity is more frequently related to a positive attitude towards menopause and the use of more positive tactics of exerting influence on one’s spouse, and slightly positively conducive to one’s life satisfaction level.
 
REFERENCES (30)
1.
Adler, S. R., Fosket, J. R., Kagawa-Singer, M., McGraw, A. A., Wong-Kim, E., Gold, E., & Sternfeld, B. (2000). Conceptualizing menopause and midlife: Chinese American and Chinese Women in the US. Maturitas, 35, 11–23.
 
2.
Albrecht, A., Farrell, N. C., Marcus, B. H., McAndrew, L. M., Napolitano, M. A., & Whiteley, J. A. (2009). When, why and for whom there is a relationship between physical activity and menopause symptoms. Maturitas, 64, 119–125.
 
3.
Avis, N. E., & McKinlay, S. M. (1991). A longitudinal analysis of women’s attitudes toward the menopause: results from the Massachusetts Women’s Health Study. Maturitas, 13, 65–79.
 
4.
Banister, E. M. (2000). Women’s midlife confusion: “Why am I feeling this way?”. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 21, 745–764.
 
5.
Bielawska-Batorowicz, E. (2005). Konstrukcja i zastosowanie skali Ocena Menopauzy [The construction and use of the scale Menopause Evaluation]. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis Folia Psychologica, 9, 31–39.
 
6.
Bielawska-Batorowicz, E., Cieślik, I., & Cwalina, E. (2003). Rola płci i wieku w tworzeniu obrazu kobiety w okresie menopauzy [The role of gender and age in creating an image of perimenopausal woman]. Przegląd Menopauzalny, 6, 68–73.
 
7.
Bloch, A. (2002). Self-awareness during the menopause. Maturitas, 41, 61–68.
 
8.
Cassidy, T. (2000). Stress, healthiness and health behaviours: An exploration of the role of life events, daily hassles, cognitive appraisal and the coping process. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 13, 293–311.
 
9.
Cereniewicz, M. (2008). Postawić na swoim czy nie? Związki między taktykami wywierania wpływu małżonków a satysfakcją małżeńską [To have one’s will or not? Relations between tactics of exerting influence and satisfaction with marriage]. Psychologia Jakości Życia, 1-2, 47–69.
 
10.
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.
 
11.
Eija, T., Heinonen, R., Luoto, R., Mansikkamaki, K., Mikkola, T., Nygard, C. H., & Raitanen, J. (2012). Sleep quality and aerobic training among menopausal women – a randomized controlled trial. Maturitas, 72, 339–345.
 
12.
Elavsky, S., & McAuley, E. (2009). Personality, menopausal symptoms, and physical activity outcomes in middle-aged women. Personality & Individual Differences, 46, 123–128.
 
13.
Elavsky, S., & McAuley, E. (2005). Physical activity, symptoms, esteem, and life satisfaction during menopause. Maturitas, 52, 374–385.
 
14.
Franks, M. M., & Stephens, P. A. (1992). Multiple roles of middle-generation caregivers: Contextual effects and psychological mechanisms. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 47, 123–129.
 
15.
Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173–206.
 
16.
Gannon, L., & Stevens, J. (1998). Portraits of Menopuse in the Mass Media. Women & Health, 27, 1–15.
 
17.
Hausenblas, H. A., & Fallon, E. A. (2006). Exercise and body image: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Health, 21, 33–47.
 
18.
Henry, R. G., & Miller, R. B. (2004). Marital problems occuring in midlife: implications for couples therapists. The American of Journal of Family Therapy, 32, 405–417.
 
19.
Hvas, L. (2001). Positive aspects of menopause: a qualitative study. Maturitas, 39, 11–17.
 
20.
Juczyński, Z. (2009). Narzędzia pomiaru w promocji i psychologii zdrowia [Measure tools in health promotion and health psychology]. Warszawa: Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych.
 
21.
Karacam, Z., & Erkan Seker, S. (2007). Factors associated with menopausal symptoms and their relationship with the quality of life among Turkish women. Maturitas, 58, 75–82.
 
22.
Koivula, N. (2001). Perceived characteristics of sports categorized as gender-neutral, feminineand masculine. Journal of Sport Behavior, 24, 377–393.
 
23.
Lindh-Åstrand, L., Hoffmann, M., Hammar, M., & Kjellgren, K. I. (2007). Women’s conception of the menopausal transition – a qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16, 509–517.
 
24.
Mandal, E. (2014). Kwestionariusz wywierania wpływu społecznego w bliskich związkach kobiet i mężczyzn [The Questionnaire of Influence Tactics in Close Relationships Women and Men]. Przegląd Psychologiczny, 57, 193–211.
 
25.
Mandal, E. (2004). Podmiotowe i interpersonalne konsekwencje stereotypów związanych z płcią [The individual and interpersonal consequences of the gender stereotype]. Katowice: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego.
 
26.
Ornes, L. L., Ransdell, L. B., Robertson, L., & Moyer-Mileur, L. (2005). A 6-month pilot study of effects of a physical activity intervention on life satisfaction with a sample of three generations of women. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 100, 579–591.
 
27.
Papini, D. R., Intrieri, R. C., & Goodwin, P. E. (2002). Attitude toward menopause among married middle-aged adults. Women & Health, 36, 55–68.
 
28.
Randall, T. (1993). Women need more and better information on menopause from their physicians, says survey. JAMA, 270, 1664.
 
29.
Robinson Kurpius, S. E., Foley Nicpon, M. F., & Maresh, S. E. (2001). Mood, marriage and menopause. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 48, 77–84.
 
30.
Rubenstein, H. R., & Foster, J. L. (2013). ‘I don’t know whether it is to do with age or to do with hormones and whether it is to do with a stage in your life’: making sense of menopause and the body. Journal of Health Psychology, 18, 292–307.
 
Copyright: © Institute of Psychology, University of Gdansk This is an Open Access journal, all articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, provided the original work is properly cited and states its license.
eISSN:2353-5571
ISSN:2353-4184
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top