title: Self-efficacy as a mediator between fear of falling and functional ability in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined falls self-efficacy and fear of falling to determine whether self-efficacy acts as a mediator between fear of falling and functional ability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly as a fear-of-falling measure and the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale for falls self-efficacy, structural relationships among fear of falling, self-efficacy, functional balance, and physical functioning outcomes were tested with older adults (N = 256, M age = 77.5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower levels of fear of falling were significantly related to higher levels of falls self-efficacy, which was in turn associated with better functional outcomes. Moreover, falls self-efficacy mediated the effects of fear of falling on functional outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results substantiate the hypothesized mediational role of falls self-efficacy in fear of falling and underscore the need to consider ways of enhancing falls self-efficacy in interventions aimed at reducing falls and fear of falling.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR, USA. fuzhongl@ori.org
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fuzhong
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: K John
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harmer
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaumeton
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon; D020377:Self Efficacy