Bell, Beth T ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6587-0336, Norminton, Sarah and Dollimorr, Kora (2024) ‘ I’ve learned a lot about myself this year’: Young student women’s perceptions of their cumulative use of digital fitness technologies across the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Health Psychology, 29 (9). pp. 1046-1058.

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Abstract

Many young women turned to digital fitness technologies (DFT) to support their health and wellbeing during the covid-19 pandemic. The present study explores young student women’s retrospective perceptions of their cumulative engagement with DFT, across periods of restriction and easing (March 2020–2021). Seventeen UK-based women (Age M = 20.29, SD = 1.72); Ethnicity White = 94.12% participated in one-on-one interviews using an adapted scroll-back technique. Data was analysed using narrative-informed reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were developed: My lockdown #fitnesstransformation: DFT as information and inspiration, My unrealistic expectations: DFT as a source of comparison and concern and My new body positive and resilient self: DFT as a catalyst to self-development. Themes highlight how perceptions of DFT changed over time as a consequence of repeat engagement, sociocultural context and psychological meaning-making. Crucially, findings underscore the importance of examining the collective and cumulative effects of DFT engagement on health and wellbeing, both positive and negative.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053231225598
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/10511

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