| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of instruction types and familiarization on the correlations between physiological measures of intensity (HR and VO2) and RPE. This was done by comparing the Borg (1998) script to a modified script over two sessions. In the first session, participants were given the Borg (1998) script prior to performing the submaximal Balke-Ware protocol on the treadmill. Participants were randomly assigned to a control or treatment group. The same test was performed for the second session and the control group received the same instructions; however, the treatment group was instructed on RPE with the modified script. There were significant differences between groups at session one for the mean correlation of RPE with VO2, t (13) = 1.365, p = .021, d = 1.625, but not at session two. There were no significant differences from session one to session two for the control group, t (6) = -.497, p = .637, d = 0.285, or the treatment group, t (7) = -1.67, p = .137, d = 0.620, for mean correlations with RPE and VO2. No significant differences were found between groups at session one, t (14) = - 1.038, p = .70, d = 0.418 or session two, t (14) = .417, p = .189, d = 0.611, for the mean correlation of HR and RPE. No significant differences were found for either the control group, t (6) = -2.121, p = .078, d = 0.836 or the treatment group, t (8) = -.393, p = .705, d = 0.324, between session one and two. Although most of the results were non-significant, a familiarization effect did occur with an increase in correlations from session one to two. The treatment group did show more improvement in the mean correlation of VO2 and RPE, while the HR and RPE mean correlation showed more improvement in the control group. Instructions may have an effect on the accuracy of RPE in older adults. | |
