The Nostrum to exercise: how self-selected and imposed exercise intensity prescription relates to affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes: a systematic review

Allowing to select the exercise intensity has been proposed as a method to support exercise adherence, but no extensive exploration was found contrasting this approach to an imposed intensity method. For this matter, this systematic review aimed to explore the relationship between self-selected exercise intensity and affective, cognitive, and behaviouraloutcomes in physical activity settings, and whenever possible, compare this approach to other forms of exercise intensity prescription. Search wasconductedin the PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO databases (last search date July 2022) with the following inclusion criteria: (1) experimental and non-experimental; (2) published in a peer-reviewed journal; (3) written in English; (4) exploring intensity self-selection and/or self-regulation in exercise settings; (5) samples with individuals aged between 18 and 64 years; and (6) focused on apparently healthy individuals. Twenty-nine studies (N=749 participants) were included in this review, 25 exploring aerobic exercise and four resistance training activities. Overall, self-selected exercise intensity showed better positive affective, cognitive, and behaviouraloutcomes compared to imposed exercise intensity prescription, but high heterogeneity on the methods and outcomes warrant caution when interpreting the results. Self-selected intensity may promote improved affective responses, autonomy perceptions, self-efficacy, intention to be physically active,and more minutes of exercise participation. However, discrepancy on the intensity self-selection methods, exercise protocol differences, and samples characteristics, highlight the need for further studies on the topic to better understand the possible magnitude of this effect.