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:

  1. Mean overall score of exercise dependence symptoms.
  2. Differentiates between: (a) at-risk for exercise dependent, (b) nondependent-symptomatic, and (c) nondependent-asymptomatic.
  3. 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:

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Intention Effect: exercise is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
  4. Lack of Control: there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful effort to cut down or control exercise
  5. Time: a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain exercise (e.g., physical activity vacations)
  6. Reductions in Other Activities: social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of exercise
  7. 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

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