title: The relationship of self-efficacy to selected outcomes.
abstract: The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) have been linked to an individual's level of self-efficacy (SE) for the behaviours required. Successful behaviour performance is one way of increasing SE. The purpose of this study was to examine the reciprocal relationship of exercise SE to the specific outcomes of functional ability and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among a relatively healthy population in a CR program. One hundred and seventy new CR clients participated in this study. Those with high initial SE had greater functional ability and higher HRQL (p's < .01) than those with low initial SE through 12 weeks of CR. All outcomes, including SE, improved after 12 weeks of CR. Thus, the reciprocal nature of SE and CR exercise behaviours was demonstrated. We recommend further research to test the effectiveness of pre-screening new CR clients for SE, and using this information to guide the individual CR experience to optimize outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Haennel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome