Page 8 - Spring 2016 Newsletter

likelihood to return to the prison system topics, such as stress management, nutrition, do not feel comfortable being around their

(Malik-Kane & Vischer, 2008). Women who and safely preparing for and engaging in peers, or have been engaged in altercations

spend time within the prison system suffer exercise.
that have landed them “in the hole” (i.e.,

from exacerbated mental health problems In the Fall of 2014, within a dual role as impact solitary coninement). Additionally, these

(Seewald, 2012), weight gain, severed social women may not have access to comfortable
evaluation coordinator at Gearing Up and a
ties, and a general decline in indicators of or safe exercise equipment (i.e., athletic
PhD student at Temple University (and with
wellness (Leddy, Shulkin, & Power, 2009).
shoes, sports bras, water bottles). All of these
a grant from AASP to fund my research), I
obstacles and responsibilities make it dificult
Multiple programs have begun using physical was able to facilitate the implementation of
for women to attend an exercise program.
activity as means to improve the mental a physical activity (PA) program designed

health of currently incarcerated individuals for female inmates as well as delve into The easiest take homes in terms of research

and decrease the likelihood that they will the beneits women received from PA, the and impact evaluations were as follows:

return to prison. Moreover, past studies reasons they noted for engaging in PA, and (a) relationships matter, and (b) qualitative

have shown that physical activity in prison the barriers to health and PA they perceived research works best with underserved

settings decreases depression, anxiety, and while incarcerated. My goals included: (a) populations. Women reported, on quantitative

aggression, improves mental health, and to understand how to engage more women measures, exercising with friends did not

provides a welcome distraction from the in physical activity at Riverside Correctional motivate them. In fact, in interviews, women

stressors of being incarcerated (Buckaloo, Facility, (b) to partially address the problems stated that “You don’t make friends in prison.”

Krug, & Nelson, 2009; Libbus, Genovese, & of adherence experienced within our program However, relatedness was highly correlated

Poole, 1994; Wagner, McBride, & Crouse, and others around the country, and (c) to with program completion. When asked what

1999). However, traditionally, involving place incarcerated women’s experience they liked about the program, women noted

incarcerated individuals and helping them within a theoretical framework (i.e., self- the instructor and other program staff and

adhere to physical activity has been dificult determination theory).
reported feeling supported and welcomed

(Meek & Lewis, 2014).
by their peers. Conversely, women reported
The experience taught me a number of things.
prison staff as one of the biggest barriers to
Gearing Up provides women in transition from Mainly, working with a “captive population”
making it to class and adhering to an exercise
abuse, addiction, and/or incarceration with isn’t as easy as some people might like to
regime. Correctional oficers can inluence a
the skills, equipment, and guidance to safely think. Women in prison have a number of
woman’s experience by not letting her out
ride a bicycle for exercise, transportation, responsibilities (i.e., jobs, GED programs,

of her cell, off the block, or into the gym.
and personal growth. As part of this mission, visits from legal counsel, and being block
Oftentimes, there is confusion concerning
Gearing Up offers an indoor cycling class representatives). They also suffer from
who is allowed to attend the class, who has
at Riverside Correctional Facility (RCF), the high levels of compromised mental health.
been medically cleared, and when women
Philadelphia County Women’s prison. The Nationally, 74% of incarcerated women
should be leaving their cells to come to
75-minute class, which was established in suffer from some type of mental illness (Lamb,
class (even though the cycling program is
2010, has served over 300 women and is Weinberger, & Gross, 2004). On a national

offered on the same days and times every
offered three times a week. In addition, each scale, these statistics speak to our current
week). Nevertheless, somehow confusion
class includes a brief “health intervention,” trend of incarcerating mentally ill individuals.
concerning this issue still remained.
which allows instructors and participants the On an individual scale, this often means

chance to discuss various physical health
women cannot get themselves out of bed,
Other barriers to attending class included

AASP Newsletter // Spring 2016 //
Researcher’s Corner: Understanding Incarcerated Women’s Motivation to Exercise

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