title: Correlates of physical activity among individuals with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is accumulating evidence that individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are less physically active than nondiseased populations. One method for increasing the level of participation in physical activity among MS patients involves the identification of factors that correlate with physical activity and that are modifiable by a well-designed intervention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study adopts a social cognitive perspective and examines self-efficacy, enjoyment, social support, and disability as correlates of participation in physical activity among individuals with MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 196 individuals with a diagnosis of MS from the Midwest region of the United States. The participants completed a battery of questionnaires and then wore a belt with an accelerometer for a 7-day period. The data were analyzed using covariance modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enjoyment (gamma=.38, p<.001), social support (gamma=.15, p<.05), and disability (gamma=.18, p<.01) had statistically significant direct relations with self-efficacy, and self-efficacy (beta=.29, p<.001) and enjoyment (gamma=.28, p<.001) had statistically significant direct relations with physical activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future researchers should consider examining self-efficacy and enjoyment as possible components of an intervention that is designed to increase physical activity participation in MS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 61801, USA. robmotl@uiuc.edu
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Motl
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Snook
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Martha L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Douglass
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires