The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Exercise Compliance in a Cardiac Population

Abstract

Purpose: This study used a cross-sectional design to examine the relationship between self-efficacy and exercise compliance in a cardiac population. Methods. The study sample was comprised of 20 females and 118 males who had completed a Phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. Of the sample, 43 were enrolled in a Phase III program, and 77 reportedly were exercising on their own. Only 18 of the respondents reportedly did not exercise at all. Exercise compliance/behavior was assessed according to guidelines developed by the American College of Sports Medicine. Frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise were assessed and then combined to produce the dependent variable (exercise behavior). Two measures were used to assess self-efficacy: the aggregation of six self-efficacy activity scales (total self-efficacy) and the aggregation of 16 perceived barriers to exercise (exercise barriers efficacy measure). Results. A positive correlation was observed between total self-efficacy and the exercise behavior measure (R = 0.3567, P < 0.001) as well as between the exercise behavior measure and the exercise barriers efficacy measure (R = 0.6727, P < 0.001). The exercise barriers efficacy measure was found to be the most significant predictor of exercise behavior (R2 = 0.270, P < 0.001), although total self-efficacy was also found to be a significant predictor of exercise behavior (R2 = 0.180, P < 0.005). Conclusions. Because exercise barriers efficacy was found to be the most predictive of exercise behavior, perceived barriers should be assessed of all graduates of the formal program (Phase II) and periodically of those enrolled in Phase III. Methodologies for implementing the sources of self-efficacy are offered.