Exercise and Therapeutic Massage - Health Communications and Interventions Lab

Exercise and therapeutic massage both have considerable potential for creating physiological changes that promote physical and psychological health. Our research has focused on processes that promote or undermine exercise (studies led by Dr. Jude Buckley at The University of Auckland), interventions for increasing exercise adherence, and exercise as an intervention for assisting women in their efforts to quit smoking (randomized controlled trial led by Dr. Harry Prapavessis at University of Western Ontario). Dr. Sheleigh Lawler, now at University of Queensland, led a series of studies in collaboration with the New Zealand College of Massage, including a randomized controlled trial demonstrating that massage therapy can reduce the frequency of migraines and improve sleep quality for people who suffer from migraines.

Selected references:

Buckley, J. & Cameron, L. D. (2011). Automaticity of exercise self- regulatory efficacy in adults with high and low experience in exercise self-regulation. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 33, 325-348..
Buckley, J. & Cameron, L. D. (2011). Automatic judgments of exercise self-efficacy and exercise disengagement in adults with high and low experience in exercise self-regulation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 12, 324-332.
Chan, C. K. Y. , & Cameron, L. D. (2011). Promoting physical activity with goal-oriented mental imagery: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, in press. DOI 10.1007/s10865-011-9360-6.
Graham, S. , Prapavessis, H., & Cameron, L. D. (2006). Colon cancer information as a source of exercise motivation. Psychology and Health, 21, 731-795.
Lawler, S. P. , & Cameron, L. D. (2006). A randomized, controlled trial of massage therapy for migraine. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 32, 50-59.
Lawler, S. P., & Cameron, L. D. (2004). Massage therapy: Attitudes and use among general practitioners and patients in Auckland , New Zealand. New Zealand Family Physician, 31, 229-238.

Prapavessis, H., Cameron, L. D., Baldi, J., Robinson, S., Borrie, S., Harper, T., & Grove, J. R. (2007). The effects of exercise and nicotine replacement therapy on smoking rates in women. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 1416-1432.