Does Physical Literacy Moderate Acute Mood Responses to Recreational Exercise in Older Females?

Physical literacy (PL), encompassing motivation, confidence, physical competence, and knowledge related to physical activity, is recognized as an important determinant of lifelong engagement in physical activity. However, limited evidence exists regarding whether higher levels of PL influence acute mood responses to recreational physical activity in older women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association between physical literacy and mood state assessed before and after outdoor recreational exercise. The sample consisted of 42 women (70.4±4.1 years) involved in a community-based recreational exercise program conducted in a public park. Physical literacy was assessed at baseline, while mood state was measured immediately before (pretest) and after (posttest) the exercise session using the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS). Participants demonstrated significant improvements in overall mood state following the exercise session (43.6±5.5 vs. 37.2±7.1 at pre- and posttest, respectively; t=5.11, p<0.05). No significant correlations between the PL and BRUMS subscores and the total score were observed in the pretest. However, at posttest, PL was significantly associated with tension (r=−0.32, p<0.05), depression (r=−0.33, p<0.05), and total BRUMS score (r=−0.35, p<0.05), indicating more favorable mood responses among participants with higher PL. When the correlation between PL and posttest BRUMS total score was partialized while controlling for exercise experience, the correlation coefficient slightly decreased but remained statistically significant (r=−0.32, p<0.05). The findings suggest that PL may enhance the psychological benefits of exercise later in life and should be considered in the design of recreational physical activity programs for older women.