Browsing by Author "Vig, Kelsey Danielle"

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Open Access
A mixed methods study on barriers and facilitators to exercise for suicidal ideation management
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2024-10) Vig, Kelsey Danielle; Asmundson, Gordon; Hadjistavropoulos, Heather; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas; Totosy, Julia; Gibb, Brandon E.
Suicide is a leading cause of premature death. Innovative and effective interventions are needed to prevent suicide deaths. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that a variety of structured exercise programs (e.g., aerobic exercise, resistance training exercise) improve mental health, including reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. Moreover, failure to meet established guidelines for physical activity is associated with increased odds of experiencing suicidal behaviours. Exercise may, therefore, be one intervention option to reduce the suicidal behaviours (i.e., suicidal ideation [SI] and plans for suicide) that often precede suicide. In order to benefit from the effects of exercise, individuals with suicidal ideation must perceive exercise as an accessible, acceptable, and effective treatment option, otherwise they are unlikely to initiate and sustain an exercise program. This mixed-methods dissertation includes two studies that explored how individuals with SI perceive and experience exercise, with an emphasis on identifying facilitators and barriers to exercise. In Study 1, grounded theory methods were used to analyze data from semi-structured interviews with 17 adult Canadian participants with past-month SI. The overall theory derived from Study 1 suggests that exercise for individuals with SI is complex and should be tailored to each individual. This theory is made up of a core category of individualization, as well as four key concepts that relate to three major categories. The four key concepts of the theory are that facilitators and barriers to exercise (a) have individualized weights/impacts on exercise decisions, (b) are cumulative, interactive, and opposing forces, (c) are dynamic, and (d) exist on a spectrum from internal to external. The three major categories included in the study theory are (a) the cognitive-behavioural cycle, (b) priorities, values, and identity, and (c) interpersonal factors. In Study 2, 261 Canadian adult participants with past-month SI completed an online survey. The survey included measures of suicidal behaviour, facilitators and barriers to exercise (open-ended and closed-ended questions), past-week physical activity, and demographic and health questions. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, quantitative analyses were restricted to descriptive statistics. The qualitative and quantitative results of Study 2 supported and added to the theory developed in Study 1, including offering additional evidence of the core category, the four key concepts, and the three major categories. Most participants thought exercise can reduce SI. Improved health, both mental and physical, was a commonly reported motivator to exercise, and poor mental health was also a commonly reported barrier to exercise. Overall, the results of both studies demonstrated the importance of individualization when it comes to exercise for individuals with SI. Exercise may or may not be an accessible, acceptable, and/or effective intervention for any given individual with SI. The results may be used by clinicians, researchers, policy makers, and advocacy groups considering whether exercise might be an intervention option for individuals with SI. The results may assist future researchers who endeavor to develop exercise-based interventions for individuals with SI by providing a theoretical framework to guide intervention development and study planning (e.g., by highlighting the need to anticipate and address individual and fluctuating facilitators and barriers). Keywords: suicidal ideation, exercise, physical activity, facilitators and barriers to exercise, exercise adherence, grounded theory
Open Access
An Investigation of the Associations Between Intolerance of Uncertainty, Attentional Network Functioning, and Attentional Bias for Uncertainty
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2018-09) Vig, Kelsey Danielle; Asmundson, Gordon J.G.; Wright, Kristie; Carleton, R. Nicholas; Fergus, Thomas
Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is the tendency to fear the unknown and is a transdiagnostic dispositional vulnerability and maintenance factor for anxiety and anxiety-related disorders (Carleton, 2016). Researchers have suggested that IU may be associated with altered attentional network functioning, which may lead individuals with elevated IU to be more aware of potential sources of uncertainty, thereby increasing anxiety (Fergus et al., 2013; Fergus & Carleton, 2016; Norwood, 2014). The few studies that have examined attentional network functioning and attentional biases related to IU have produced conflicting results, possibly due to the methods used and a failure to control for the confounding effects of state and trait anxiety and depression. The current investigation assessed the associations between attentional network functioning, as assessed by the Attention Network Test–Revised (ANT-R), the attentional bias for uncertainty, as assessed by the dot probe task, IU, and potential confounding variables. The sample included community and undergraduate participants with elevated (n = 30) and low (n = 13) IU. Results of this investigation indicated that IU was not associated with differences in attentional network functioning or attentional bias for uncertainty; however, due to the small number of participants in the low IU group, statistical power was below the threshold required to detect differences between groups on the ANT-R and dot probe indices. The results do suggest that IU has increased in recent years and attentional task order may influence the attentional bias for uncertainty. Future research is needed to replicate the current investigation and specifically examine both increasing IU and the effects of the ANT-R on attentional biases. Methodological and clinical implications, investigation limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.