ORCID Profile
0000-0003-1933-4046
Current Organisation
Deakin University
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2012
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2012.694436
Abstract: The present study investigated the effectiveness of two cognitive strategies for resisting a craved food. One-hundred-and-ten self-identified chocolate cravers were randomised to a waiting list control condition or to receive a 60-minute standardised group intervention on cognitive restructuring (CR) or cognitive defusion (CD). All participants were provided with a bag of chocolates which they were instructed to carry with them for seven days and try to resist eating uneaten chocolates were returned at the end of the study period. Measures included chocolate consumption and other behavioural, cognitive and evaluative self-reported outcomes. Overall, the odds of abstinence from chocolate were 3.26 times higher for participants in the CD than the CR condition. The effect of the interventions depended on baseline cognitive distress levels for in iduals at high levels of cognitive distress the CD condition led to significantly more restraint from chocolate than both the CR and control conditions. In addition, CD led to greater self-reported improvements in eating behaviours during the study period and was rated significantly easier to use and apply than CR. CD is discussed as a simple and efficient approach to manage food cravings and, potentially, other behavioural contributors to obesity.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2014.984713
Abstract: A more negative implicit evaluation of unhealthy food stimuli and a more positive implicit evaluation of a weight-management goal have been shown to predict lower consumption of unhealthy food. However, the associations between these evaluations, temptation to indulge and consumption of unhealthy food remain unclear. The current study investigated whether temptation would mediate the relationship between implicit food and goal evaluations and consumption (resembling an antecedent-focused route to self-control of eating), or whether those evaluations would moderate the relationship between temptation and consumption (resembling a response-focused route). A s le of 156 women (17-25 years), who tried to manage their weight through healthy eating, completed two implicit association tasks assessing implicit food and goal evaluations, respectively. Intake of four energy-dense snack foods was measured in a task disguised as a taste test, and participants reported the strength of experienced temptation to indulge in the snacks offered. Negative implicit food evaluation was associated with lower snack intake, and temptation mediated this relationship. Implicit goal evaluation was unrelated to both temptation strength and snack consumption. The findings contribute to an understanding of how negative implicit unhealthy food evaluation relates to lower consumption, namely through the mediation of temptation to indulge in those foods.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 26-02-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.BODYIM.2018.08.008
Abstract: This study explored the efficacy of reflective writing tasks for reducing state body dissatisfaction and improving self-improvement motivation. Participants (N = 153) were exposed to a threatening body image scenario, after which they reported their state body dissatisfaction. Following randomisation to one of three interventions (self-esteem, self-compassion, or positive distraction control), participants completed the state body dissatisfaction measures again along with a measure of self-improvement motivation. At post-intervention, state weight dissatisfaction and appearance dissatisfaction were significantly lower and self-improvement motivation was significantly higher in the self-compassion group than in both the self-esteem and control groups. Trait body dissatisfaction moderated the efficacy of the intervention whereby the benefit of the self-compassion intervention became evident at moderate levels of trait body dissatisfaction, and was most apparent at high levels of body dissatisfaction. Self-compassion was a robust and efficacious method through which to promote immediate improvements to bodily feelings and desire to self-improve.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.PHYSBEH.2015.09.020
Abstract: The current study sought to test the effect of a brief evaluative conditioning intervention on experienced temptation to indulge, and consumption of, unhealthy snack foods. We expected that a training task associating unhealthy food with negative affect would result in lower experienced temptation across the s le, but would lead to lower snack consumption only among in iduals with low state inhibitory control. Undergraduate women (N=134) aged 17-25 years were randomised to complete an evaluative conditioning procedure pairing unhealthy food with either positive or negative affect. Snack consumption was subsequently assessed using a taste-test procedure which offered four snack foods for ad libitum consumption. Participants also reported the strength of their experienced temptation to indulge in the foods presented. Additionally, they completed a Stop Signal Task as a measure of state inhibitory control. As predicted, participants in the food negative condition ate less than those in the food positive condition, but this effect was only observed among in iduals with low inhibitory control. The same moderation pattern was observed for the effect of evaluative conditioning on temptation: only participants with low inhibitory control reported feeling less tempted by the snack foods in the food negative condition compared to the food positive condition. In addition, temptation mediated the effect of evaluative conditioning on intake for in iduals with low inhibitory control. Findings suggest that evaluative conditioning of unhealthy food stimuli could be especially useful for reducing temptation and consumption of unhealthy snacks in situations where in iduals experience low inhibitory control capacity.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1037/SPY0000145
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 05-11-2009
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Date: 2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-03-2015
DOI: 10.1002/JCLP.22157
Abstract: Treatment beliefs and preferences for psychological therapies were investigated in 80 overweight in iduals trying to manage their weight. Participants read 4 therapy descriptions: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavior therapy (BT), cognitive therapy (CT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). They ranked the treatments in order of preference, explained the reason for their preferred choice, and reported their beliefs about each approach. In idual CBT (43.42%) and BT (31.58%), delivered face-to-face or technologically, were the most preferred treatment options, while ACT (17.12%) and CT (7.89%) were the least preferred. The main reasons cited among those who chose CBT and BT were perceived comprehensiveness and the practical nature of the approach, respectively. Treatment beliefs were strongly predicted by psychological need satisfaction as well as perceived ease and effort. Further research should ascertain the stability of treatment beliefs and the efficacy of modifying the treatment context to meet in idual needs.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-04-2014
DOI: 10.1111/BJHP.12098
Abstract: Initiating and maintaining physical activity presents the in idual with challenges of inconvenience, discomfort, and counteractive energy. Addressing these challenges requires an intervention that elicits motivation to engage in this activity, minimizes the direct relationship between unwanted internal experiences and inaction, and is also in itself accessible and convenient. Accordingly, this study investigated the efficacy of a self-managed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention delivered via DVD and tailored for physical activity initiation. Fifty-nine minimally active community participants were randomly allocated to receive a 12-week pedometer-based walking programme, or the same walking programme with the additional provision of the ACT DVD. The primary outcome was overall physical activity level (assessed at baseline and post-intervention), and the secondary outcome was pedometer-assessed step count (measured at 4-weekly intervals throughout the intervention period). Participants who received the ACT DVD achieved a significantly greater increase in physical activity levels post-intervention, were more likely to achieve the goals specified in the programme, and reported a higher average step count than participants who received the walking programme in isolation. The ACT intervention, delivered via DVD for the promotion of physical activity, proved a simple, efficient, and accessible method to encourage positive short-term increases in an important health-promoting behaviour. Statement of contribution What is already known? ACT interventions can increase physical activity levels through augmenting initiatory self-regulatory control. Face-to-face delivery presents challenges of accessibility and feasibility for community implementation. There is a need for effective interventions that maximize impact while minimizing inconvenience. What does this study add? Supplementing a walking programme with a self-managed ACT DVD produced significant increases in physical activity. The ACT DVD is a convenient, accessible, and potentially cost-effective approach to physical activity initiation. ACT lends itself to implementation as a self-managed electronically delivered intervention.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-07-2018
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1016/J.MIDW.2022.103556
Abstract: Complications during pregnancy can negatively impact the physical and psychological wellbeing of mothers. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence which has examined the impact of high-risk conditions developed during pregnancy on women's coping, wellbeing, and symptoms of psychopathology. Medline (Ovid), PsycINFO (ProQuest), Scopus, Web of science, AMED (Ebsco), CINAHL (Ebsco) and ProQuest databases were searched in May 2021 with no restrictions on publication date. English-language literature was reviewed to identify 31 articles. Fifteen articles examined Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM: 48%), nine examined multiple high-risk pregnancy conditions (29%), four examined Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Preecl sia (PE: 13%), two did not specify the condition examined (7%), and one examined Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury (PR-AKI: 3%). The most common study design was quantitative, non-randomised, and survey-based. Twenty-seven articles (87%) reported a high-risk pregnancy resulted in decreased wellbeing and ability to cope, and increased symptoms of psychopathology. The remaining four articles (13%) reported no difference in wellbeing or psychopathology outcomes for women experiencing high-risk compared to healthy pregnancies. Moreover, hypertensive disorders and GDM were associated with ineffective submissive or avoidant coping, reduced wellbeing, and quality-of-life, and exacerbated symptoms of anxiety and depression. High-risk pregnancy negatively impacts coping, wellbeing, and psychopathology, and preventive and supportive interventions to mitigate this should focus on empowering women to feel optimistic and in control of their pregnancy. A holistic and culturally sensitive approach is recommended, where pregnant women (and their partners or support people) are involved in healthcare decisions, thus promoting wellbeing, coping, satisfaction, and improved treatment outcome.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.APPET.2015.02.039
Abstract: The current study used a modified implicit association test (IAT) to change implicit evaluations of unhealthy snack food and tested its effects on subsequent consumption. Furthermore, we investigated whether these effects were moderated by inhibitory self-control. A s le of 148 women (17-25 years) motivated to manage weight through healthy eating completed an IAT intervention, and pre- and post-intervention IATs assessing implicit evaluations of unhealthy food. The intervention IAT trained participants to pair unhealthy food stimuli with either positive or negative stimuli. A task disguised as a taste-test was used to assess consumption of unhealthy snack foods. Inhibitory self-control was measured using a self-report scale. As predicted, the implicit evaluation of unhealthy food became more negative from pre- to post-training among participants in the food negative pairing condition however, there was no corresponding change in the food positive pairing condition. The effect of the training on snack consumption was moderated by inhibitory self-control with only participants low in inhibitory self-control having lower snack intake following the food negative training. This finding is consistent with dual-process models of behaviour which predict that self-control capacity renders impulses less influential on behaviour. Furthermore, it suggests that an intervention that retrains implicit food evaluations could be effective at reducing unhealthy eating, particularly among those with low inhibitory self-control.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 16-07-2023
DOI: 10.1177/17479541231188455
Abstract: Sport psychology consulting services are commonly used by elite athletes in developed countries, but little is known about the athlete's perceptions of such services in developing countries. The present study examined the accessibility, receptivity, and perceived benefit of sport psychology services (via a sport psychology services questionnaire) through a cross-sectional survey of elite athletes ( N = 32 M age = 23.06 years, SD = 5.81) from 12 nations of the Oceania region who participated in the Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain programme. These nations were Vanuatu, Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Norfolk Island, Niue, Nauru, Kiribati, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea. The results revealed that only a quarter of the athletes had ongoing access to sport psychology consulting services. Over half reported that they were receptive to sport psychology services and perceived that these types of services would be beneficial. The most desired services related to performance enhancement (e.g. performance under pressure). The athletes reported mixed levels of knowledge regarding mental skills, and most knowledge concerned the use of mental skills in competition. Specifically, most athletes rated their knowledge of mental skills at either the low (e.g. imagery) or high (e.g. goal setting, focus, and self-talk) range, and relatively fewer athletes rated their knowledge in the mid-range. The athletes demonstrated interest in learning more mental skills to enhance their performance. These findings indicate that a need exists for sport psychology service providers among athletes in the Oceania region. Existing non-local providers may also consider supplying services through digital modalities.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-07-2018
Abstract: Engaging in physical exercise in a virtual reality (VR) environment has been reported to improve physical effort and affective states. However, these conclusions might be influenced by experimental design factors, such as comparing VR environments against a non-VR environment without actively controlling for the presence of visual input in non-VR conditions. The present study addressed this issue to examine affective and attentional states in a virtual running task. Participants (n = 40), completed a 21 min run on a treadmill at 70% of Vmax. One group of participants ran in a computer-generated VR environment that included other virtual runners while another group ran while viewing neutral images. Participants in both conditions showed a pattern of reduced positive affect and increased tension during the run with a return to high positive affect after the run. In the VR condition, higher levels of immersive tendencies and attention/absorption in the virtual environment were associated with more positive affect after the run. In addition, participants in the VR condition focused attention more on external task-relevant stimuli and less to internal states than participants in the neutral images condition. However, the neutral images condition produced less negative affect and more enjoyment after the run than the VR condition. The finding suggest that the effects of exercising in a VR environment will depend on in idual difference factors (e.g., attention/absorption in the virtual world) but it may not always be better than distracting attention away from exercise-related cues.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-07-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10055-022-00676-W
Abstract: Technologies such as virtual reality (VR), an immersive computer-based environment that induces a feeling of mental and physical presence, are becoming increasingly popular for promoting participation in exercise. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in motivation and other psychological states when the physique of an exercise companion was altered during a VR-based exercise task, and whether trait social physique anxiety (SPA) altered these effects. Using a mixed experimental design, female participants ( N = 43) categorised as high or low in SPA participated in two counterbalanced 10-min running tasks within a VR environment where the exercise companion was either overweight or in-shape. Across both running tasks, in iduals with high SPA reported higher negative affect, pressure and tension, and lower perceived competencies, than those with low SPA. Pressure and tension were also higher when exercising with an in-shape companion than with an overweight companion for all participants. In addition, participants with high SPA reported a stronger preference to exercise with an overweight companion than those with low SPA in a real exercise setting, but not in a VR setting. The findings suggest that the physique of an exercise companion and the SPA of an exerciser have important, but independent, psychosocial effects during exercise. That an in-shape physique of a virtual exercise companion was not a deterrent among those with high SPA has provided preliminary evidence that VR-based exercise may be helpful among females who worry about their appearance or feel self-conscious while exercising.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2021
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/APHW.12080
Abstract: The process model proposes that the ego depletion effect is due to (a) an increase in motivation toward indulgence, and (b) a decrease in motivation to control behaviour following an initial act of self-control. In contrast, the reflective-impulsive model predicts that ego depletion results in behaviour that is more consistent with desires, and less consistent with motivations, rather than influencing the strength of desires and motivations. The current study sought to test these alternative accounts of the relationships between ego depletion, motivation, desire, and self-control. One hundred and fifty-six undergraduate women were randomised to complete a depleting e-crossing task or a non-depleting task, followed by a lab-based measure of snack intake, and self-report measures of motivation and desire strength. In partial support of the process model, ego depletion was related to higher intake, but only indirectly via the influence of lowered motivation. Motivation was more strongly predictive of intake for those in the non-depletion condition, providing partial support for the reflective-impulsive model. Ego depletion did not affect desire, nor did depletion moderate the effect of desire on intake, indicating that desire may be an appropriate target for reducing unhealthy behaviour across situations where self-control resources vary.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 27-02-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-01-2014
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 10-2015
Abstract: This study explored whether mental toughness, the capacity to maintain performance under pressure, moderated the relation between physical activity intentions and subsequent behavior. Participants ( N = 117) completed the Mental Toughness Index and a theory of planned behavior questionnaire. Seven days later, physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained substantial variance (63.1%) in physical activity intentions. Intentions also significantly predicted physical activity behavior. The simple slopes analyses for the moderation effect revealed a nonsignificant intention–behavior relation at low levels of mental toughness. However, intentions were significantly and positively related to physical activity when mental toughness was moderate or high, suggesting that the development of a mentally tough mindset may reduce the gap between behavior and physical activity intention. Future research is needed to confirm these findings and apply them in the design of mental toughness interventions to facilitate physical activity engagement.
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Date: 11-2020
Abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a 2-day intensive-format, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) based group program targeting weight stigma in women with overweight and obesity, and to conduct a pilot study to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Participants were 15 females aged 18–62 years (mean [M] = 43.60, standard deviation [SD] = 12.38), who participated in the program and completed measures of self-compassion, internalized weight stigma, psychological distress, life-satisfaction, loneliness, eating self-efficacy, body dissatisfaction, and body shame, at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Significant improvements were found from pre-treatment to post-treatment for self-compassion and internalized weight stigma, with gains maintained at 3-month follow-up. Significant improvements were also found on measures of psychological distress, life satisfaction, loneliness, eating self-efficacy, and body dissatisfaction at the post-treatment assessment. Credibility ratings of the program were high. This study has contributed to existing stigma research, being the first proof-of-concept study to demonstrate support for an intensive, CFT based group approach targeting the effects of weight stigma for women with overweight and obesity. The findings are discussed in terms of the potential of CFT to assist women develop resilience to the harmful effects of weight stigma, and possible future research directions to further develop and evaluate this approach.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
No related grants have been discovered for Robyn L. Moffitt.