Exercise-related goals and self-efficacy as correlates of aquatic exercise in individuals with arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether aquatic exercise-related goals, task self-efficacy, and scheduling self-efficacy are predictive of aquatic exercise attendance in individuals with arthritis. A secondary objective was to determine whether high attendees differed from low attendees on goals and self-efficacy.


METHODS
The sample comprised 216 adults with arthritis (mean age 69.21 years). Measures included exercise-related goal difficulty and specificity, task and scheduling self-efficacy, and 8-week aquatic exercise attendance.


RESULTS
Results of a multiple hierarchical regression analysis were significant (P < 0.01). Goal difficulty, specificity, and task self-efficacy were independent predictors of attendance (P < 0.05). A significant multivariate analysis of variance (P < 0.01) indicated that high attendees had higher task and scheduling self-efficacy and lower goal difficulty than did low attendees (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Support for the importance of exercise-related goal setting and self-efficacy was demonstrated. Implications pertain to the design of interventions to impact aquatic exercise.
Gyurcsik
Nancy C
NC
Research and Extension Office of Community Health, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA. gyurcsik@ksu.edu
Estabrooks
Paul A
PA
Frahm-Templar
Melissa J
MJ
D000041:Absenteeism; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008875:Middle Aged; D014867:Water
D014867:Water