‘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

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘I’ve learned a lot about myself this year’

T2 - Young student women’s perceptions of their cumulative use of digital fitness technologies across the Covid-19 pandemic

AU - Bell, Beth T

AU - Norminton, Sarah

AU - Dollimore, Kora

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024/1/27

Y1 - 2024/1/27

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - body image

KW - fitness

KW - health

KW - social media

KW - technology

KW - thematic analysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85183605220&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/13591053231225598

DO - 10.1177/13591053231225598

M3 - Article

C2 - 38279803

AN - SCOPUS:85183605220

SN - 1359-1053

SP - 13591053231225598

JO - Journal of Health Psychology

JF - Journal of Health Psychology

ER -