The impact of exercise intensity on mood state of participants in dance aerobics programs

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of a single session dance aerobic program of high and moderate intensity on the psychological mood state of healthy adults. The study sample consisted of 136 adults, who took part in two group exercise programs: 1) high-intensity dance aerobic exercises (n = 59) and 2) moderate-intensity dance aerobic exercises (n = 77). The questionnaire used for data collection was the Profile of Mood States inventory (POMS), by McNair, Lorr and Droppleman (1971) modified for the Greek population by Zervas, Ekkekakis, Psychoundaki, and Kakkos (1993). The subjects filled in the questionnaire before and after participating in each program. The repeated measures ANOVA analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the psychological mood state of the sample, before and after the subjects’ participation in both programs. More specifically, there was a decrease in tension, depression, aggressiveness and confusion and, on the contrary, an increase in energy, while fatigue was kept on the same level. It can be concluded that both dance aerobics programs positively enhance the participants’ mood state and can be used for the improvement of psychological mood of adults, offering, at the same time, a variety to aerobics classes.