A psychology student at Vancouver Island University is looking for subjects to take part in research exploring the effects of relationships on exercise.

Derek LeBaron, a fourth-year psychology student working on his undergraduate honours thesis, is conducting a social support and exercise study to determine how various kinds and qualities of social relationships impact overall exercise performance.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 cool about this study,鈥� LeBaron said, 鈥渋s people can bring a friend, a partner, loved one, family member, colleague, whoever they choose, to the study and see how social support from that person either increases or decreases exercise performance.鈥�

He and his girlfriend normally train at the gym together, but during a period they weren鈥檛 able to work out together, she noticed she had less motivation to train.

鈥淪he trains hard and she sent me a text one day. She was, like, I went to the gym and I really wish we were going together. I鈥檓 motivated more when I go with you 鈥� That got me curious about seeing how romantic relationships and relationships with close others, how that influences exercise performance, exercise adherence 鈥� and there鈥檚 a decent amount of literature on that 鈥� so that鈥檚 what motivated this study,鈥� LeBaron said.

But he soon found he needed to expand the study parameters beyond intimate partner, close others and best friends relationships, because potential study participants found it difficult to schedule the in-person exercise sessions into their days.

鈥淏asically, I just put it to any and all relationships. So whether it鈥檚 friendships, family members, classmates, colleagues, anything,鈥� he said.

The exercise performance data collected from the study鈥檚 participants is based, in part, on how they perform while pedalling a stationary air resistance exercise bike.

LeBaron isn鈥檛 ready to reveal what he鈥檚 learned so far. There are a number of variables the study looks at, but giving away the details of the research could potentially skew data gathered from future participants.

鈥淲hat people do know is that they鈥檙e coming in here and they鈥檙e engaging in two bouts of exercise and they know there鈥檚 some version of social support,鈥� LeBaron said. 鈥淪o, I have people sign a consent form and it basically lets them know that they鈥檒l be exercising and they鈥檒l be moderated by forms of social support.鈥�

He started the study with his research assistant, psychology student Andrew Szilogyi, in January and said he needs to gather data from as many study participants as possible until the data collection portion of the research closes in mid March.

The research findings will be presented at VIU鈥檚 Create conference, which showcases student research and creativity projects in April, but LeBaron also hopes to present the study鈥檚 results farther afield and he and Szilogyi have applied to be part of the Canadian Psychological Association Convention in Ottawa this year.

LeBaron said he will ultimately work toward a doctorate in counselling, clinical or social psychology.

鈥淢y dream was always having my own practice and counselling people, but there鈥檚 a part of research I love too, so I may do both,鈥� he said.

Szilogyi said he is working toward becoming an industrial organizational psychologist.

With the study nearing its close, LeBaron is looking to draw in as many participants as possible. So far, 20 subjects have participated, but he would like to double that figure.

To learn more about or to participate in the study, visit or e-mail dereklb@hotmail.ca.

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