Positive Emotion, Attentional Focus and Physical Health-Related Behaviors in the Family System
Objective We examined the associations between high approach positive emotion (HAPE; positive emotions that occur pre-goal and motivate individuals towards approaching/acting upon that motive), attentional focus and physical health-related behaviors, including physical activity and overeating, in adolescents and their primary caregivers. Greater overall positive emotion has been linked with increased engagement in physical activity and overeating. However, there is limited research that has explored the day-to-day associations of HAPE with physical activity and overeating. Methods Adolescents (N = 47) aged 11 to 17 and their caregivers completed baseline measures of demographics and arousal regulation, and a 7-day diary at the end of each day about daily emotion, key hypothesized mechanisms: attentional focus and opposing intentions, and physical activity and overeating behaviors. Results For adolescents and their caregivers, increased day-to-day fluctuations in HAPE and greater average HAPE was associated with increased physical activity and attentional focus on physical activity. Greater average caregiver HAPE was also associated with increased overeating and attentional focus on overeating, and in adolescents increased day-to-day fluctuations in HAPE and greater average HAPE was associated with increased attentional focus on overeating. Quicker average HAPE arousal recovery dampened the association between HAPE and attentional focus on physical activity and overeating in adolescents. Finally, greater average caregiver HAPE was associated with greater adolescent overeating behavior. Conclusion There is evidence that HAPE is related to physical health promoting behaviors and physical health risk behaviors in both adolescence and adulthood. This process is in part explained by the narrowing of attentional focus on the emotionally salient physical health-related behavior. Future studies should further explore mechanisms underlying these associations, including within the family system.
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