| The purpose of this thesis was to describe and evaluate the use of a Group Mediated Cognitive Behavioral (GMCB) exercise intervention approach within a corporate environment, with a greater focus on the physical activity preferences of the participants. To this end, a multi-method case study approach was adopted to (a) describe the implementation of a pilot GMCB program within a corporate setting, and (b) assess the response to and effectiveness of the GMCB program within a corporate setting as communicated by the participants.;Researcher observation, field notes, and focus group comments all contributed to a description of the corporate GMCB program implementation. Quantitative results found significant decreases in BMI, body fat percentage, and waist girth over the duration of the program. Descriptive statistics revealed an increase in exercise frequency and a strong preference for unstructured, group or mixed (i.e., group and individual) based activity during the program. No significant changes were noted in psychological measures over the duration of the program and subsequent follow up period.;The overall results suggest that the GMCB protocol can be successful at encouraging physical fitness within a corporate environment. There is also potential to address other health and wellness issues and to aid in workplace team building. However, to have significant lasting positive results, appropriate corporate support and some modifications may be required to enable individuals to become self-sufficient exercisers.;Multiple approaches were utilized to evaluate the intervention. These included field notes by the researcher, established self-report psychological measures, weekly fitness logs, anthropometric measurements, and end of program focus group sessions. |
