Explaining Psychological Components of the Health-Oriented Lifestyle: A Qualitative Study

The health-oriented lifestyle is considered as one of the most important subjects in the health field, and identifying its various dimensions can be of great importance. Thus, the present study was conducted with the aim of explaining psychological components of the health-oriented lifestyle.
This qualitative study was done using qualitative content analysis method. Accordingly, 16 participants who lived a healthy lifestyle were selected using purposive sampling. The participants were studied by in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed using content analysis method of Graneheim and Landman.
Findings: 4 categories and 15 sub-categories were identified for the health-oriented lifestyle including personality characteristics (will and perseverance, objectivity, flexibility and decisiveness), beliefs (the usefulness of social relations, the manageability of life, and the valuable health), capabilities (responsibility, humor, optimism, self-efficacy, and self-awareness), and attitudes (attitude towards self, attitude towards health protective behaviors, and attitudes towards health-impairing behaviors).
The present study examined the psychological components of the health-oriented lifestyle. The results revealed that personality characteristics, beliefs, capabilities, and attitudes have crucial roles in the health-oriented lifestyle. Therefore, for further research and training, it is suggested to take them into account.