Exercise has a number of benefits to both a person's physical and mental health. Research has shown an individual's physical health to be directly correlated with worker's compensation claims, absenteeism, and on the job productivity (Zamora, 2010). Similar to physical health, mental health has also been shown to have a direct correlation with both productivity and absenteeism (Paton, 2009). Physical health problems such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease have been shown to significantly decrease through consistent exercise (Zamora, 2010). Likewise, exercise also helps strengthen a person's mental health through increasing his or her self-efficacy, his or her ability to adequately manage stress, and his or her ability to focus (McAuley, 1991). Though exercise has been shown to have both a number of physical and mental health benefits, many people face a number of barriers when beginning and continuing to exercise on a regular basis.
Table of Contents
ABSTRACTI
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION1
Objective of the Study2
Research Questions2
Hypotheses3
Significance of the Thesis3
Delimitations of the Study4
Limitations of the Study4
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW5
Worksite Wellness Programs8
Schools as Sites of Worksite- Wellness11
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY16
Participants16
Methods16
Phase 1 Procedure16
Phase 3 Procedure18
Data Analysis19
Research Approach19
Data Collection Method21
Research Instrument24
Rationale for selection of sample26
Reliability/Dependability31
Ethical Consideration33
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS35
Creating a Worksite Wellness Plan35
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION44
Creating a Worksite- Wellness Plan45
Interview Data46
Conclusion47
REFERENCES49
Worksite Wellness Program
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Exercise has a number of benefits to both a person's physical and mental health. Research has shown an individual's physical health to be directly correlated with worker's compensation claims, absenteeism, and on the job productivity (Zamora, 2010). Similar to physical health, mental health has also been shown to have a direct correlation with both productivity and absenteeism (Paton, 2009). Physical health problems such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease have been shown to significantly decrease through consistent exercise (Zamora, 2010). Likewise, exercise also helps strengthen a person's mental health through increasing his or her self-efficacy, his or her ability to adequately manage stress, and his or her ability to focus (McAuley, 1991). Though exercise has been shown to have both a number of physical and mental health benefits, many people face a number of barriers when beginning and continuing to exercise on a regular basis.
Barriers such as low self-efficacy, a lack of social support, perceived amount of time, and a poor exercise attitude all affect a person's ability to begin and adhere to an exercise program or to engage in any type of exercise over time. Many people do not actively think about the reasons why they are not currently participating in exercise, and if they do, they are often unable to motivate themselves enough to begin exercising. Increased amounts of social support and greater amounts of self-efficacy are a few factors that have been identified as key incentives for motivating people to exercise (Orsega-Smith, Payne, Mowen, Ho, & Godbey, 2007). Identifying these barriers and incentives to exercise can be beneficial to helping people adhere to an exercise program over time, thereby having a positive effect on both their physical and mental health. There are many professions in which ...