Hausenblas & Symons Downs (2001); Symons Downs, Hausenblas, & Nigg (2004)
The Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R) operationalizes exercise dependence based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for substance dependence (APA, 1994) and provides the following information:
- Mean overall score of exercise dependence symptoms.
- Differentiates between: (a) at-risk for exercise dependent, (b) nondependent-symptomatic, and (c) nondependent-asymptomatic.
- Specifies whether individuals have evidenced of physiological dependence (i.e., evidence of tolerance or withdrawal) or no physiological dependence (i.e., no evidence of tolerance or withdrawal).
Consistent with the DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence, exercise dependence was operationalized and measured as a multidimensional maladaptive pattern of exercise, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by the following 7 components:
- Tolerance: which is defined as either a need for increased amounts of exercise to achieve the desired effect or diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of exercise
- Withdrawal: as manifested by either the characteristic withdrawal symptoms for exercise (e.g., anxiety, fatigue) or the same (or closely related) amount of exercise is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
- Intention Effect: exercise is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
- Lack of Control: there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful effort to cut down or control exercise
- Time: a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain exercise (e.g., physical activity vacations)
- Reductions in Other Activities: social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of exercise
- Continuance: exercise is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the exercise (e.g., continued running despite injury).
Journal Articles
Hausenblas, H. A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002). How much is too much? The development and validation of the Exercise Dependence Scale. Psychology & Health, 17, 387-404.
Hausenblas, H. A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002). Relationship among sex, imagery, and exercise dependence symptoms. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, 169-172.
Hausenblas, H. A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002). Exercise dependence: A systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 3, 89-123.
Symons Downs, D., Hausenblas, H. A., & Nigg, C. R. (2004). Factorial validity and psychometric examination of the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 8, 183-201.
Symons Downs, D., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2004). I can’t stop: The relationship among exercise dependence symptoms, injury and illness behaviors, and motives for exercise continuance. Journal of Human Movement Studies, 45, 359-375.
Symons Downs, D., Savage, J. S., & Dinallo, J. M. (2013). Self-determined to exercise? Leisure-time exercise behavior, exercise motivation, and exercise dependence in youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 10, 176 – 184.
Published Conference Abstracts in Scientific Journals
Symons Downs, D., & Shevchik, H. A. (2006, June). Leisure-time exercise behavior and exercise motivation in youth: Links to exercise dependence symptoms? Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 28, S180.
Symons Downs, D., Hausenblas, H. A., Davison, K. K., Acharya, J. (2005, June). Ethnocultural and sex differences in exercise dependence symptoms. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 27, S64.
Symons Downs, D., & Hausenblas, H., A. (2003, June). I can’t stop! Further validation of the exercise dependence scale-revised. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25, S52-S53.
Symons Downs, D., Conroy, D. E., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2003, June). Examining the factorial invariance of the Exercise Dependence Scale. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25, S52.
Symons, D. A., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2000, March). Development and validation of the exercise dependence inventory. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71, A-96.
Published Abstracts in Conference Proceedings
Symons Downs, D., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2000, October). Exercise dependence and injury: Is there a risk? Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology Conference Proceedings, Nashville, TN.
Hlavaty, N., & Symons Downs, D. (2003, October). Bodies on display: Examining body dissatisfaction and exercise dependence symptoms in college ballet dancers. Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology Conference Proceedings, Philadelphia, PA.
Published Scale in Books
Hausenblas, H. A., & Symons Downs, D. (2002). Exercise Dependence Scale. In M. H. Anshel (author), Sport psychology: From theory to practice (4th ed). (pp. 404-406). San Francisco, CA: B. Cummings.
The EDS-R has been translated into the following eleven languages:
German, Danish, Swedish, French, Hungarian, Spanish, Chinese, Norwegian, Estonia, Greek
Journal Articles
Allegre, B., & Therme, P. (2008). Confirmation study of a French version of the Exercise Dependence Scale-revised with a French population. Encephale, 34, 490 – 495.
Costa, S., Cuzzocrea, F., Hausenblas, H. A., Larcan, R., & Oliva, P. (2012). Psychometric examination and factorial validity of the Exercise Dependence Scale-revised in Italian exercisers. Journal of Behavioral Addictions XXX
Kern, L. (2010). Relationship between exercise dependence and big five personality. Encephale, 36, 212 – 218. Article in French
Sicilia, Á., & González-Cutre, D. (2011). Dependence and physical exercise: Spanish validation of the Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R). The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 14, 421-431.
For a copy of the EDS-R and scorning manual please contact Dr. Downs at dsd11@psu.edu