Department of Psychology Department of Psychology 
My Research Trip in England
By: Dori Rosenberg
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Fiona Bull (left) and Dori Rosenberg in the Peak District |
Dori and Big Ben |
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I loved my undergraduate studies abroad, but as a student in the rigorous 5-year SDSU/UCSD Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology I had little time for international endeavors. That was until one of my research mentors, Dr. James Sallis, encouraged me to apply for an SDSU International Travel Scholarship. Dr. Sallis, Professor of Psychology at SDSU, collaborates with researchers on nearly every continent. My efforts to have such an experience for myself were successful and I headed off on a five week research adventure at the University of Loughborough in England, in the spring of 2005.
Loughborough is a tiny town about 90 minutes northwest of London . The university is well known for being the UK 's hub for research on the Built Environment, Social Science and Sports Science. I worked with Dr. Fiona Bull, a prominent international researcher in physical activity and public health (and colleague of Dr. Sallis), who coordinates the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study. The purpose of the study is to test the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in 20 different countries, including the U.S., South Africa, the Netherlands, England, Brazil, and Guatemala. The IPAQ measures can compare the prevalence of physical activity across countries helping researchers gather information in fighting the obesity epidemic.
My work focused on the part of the IPAQ that measures sedentary behavior. I found that there are very few measures that focus specifically on time spent in sedentary activities (like watching TV, being on the computer, and just sitting around). Additionally, most studies examined children and looked specifically at TV watching. The few studies in adults tended to focus more on a lack of physical activity rather than actually measuring sedentary time. My analyses showed that the items addressing sedentary time are reliable and valid for both men and women in a variety of countries. I am currently working on publishing my findings.
One of the best parts of the trip was having the opportunity to see what it's like to live in another country. The everyday stuff—like being surrounded by people who have great accents, getting to drink tea like it's water, seeing old buildings and pubs everywhere —was so enjoyable. I took side trips to Edinburgh , Scotland , hiked in the English countryside with my co-workers, and took in the sights of London and surrounding areas. I want to encourage all students to seek out opportunities to travel internationally for their studies and research and I thank Dr. Sallis for helping to make this experience a reality for me.
