Self-Efficacy and Planning as Predictors of Physical Activity in the Context of Workplace Health Promotion.
BACKGROUND
Fostering self-efficacy and planning in individuals can support the uptake and maintenance of regular physical activity. This study examined self-efficacy and planning as mechanisms of an online-delivered workplace health promotion intervention to enhance employees' physical activity. A special focus lay on reciprocal interrelations among self-efficacy and planning over time, as previous work predominantly accounted for only one predictive direction at a time.


METHODS
Data from N = 1,063 employees of a pharmaceutical company who reported an intention to increase their physical activity levels were assessed at three measurement points up to 12 weeks following the intervention. Cross-lagged panel analyses were performed to examine effects of self-efficacy and planning on physical activity as well as reciprocal interrelations between self-efficacy and planning.


RESULTS
Findings indicated an increase in self-efficacy, planning, and physical activity following the intervention. Planning was consistently linked to subsequent physical activity, whereas self-efficacy was not associated. Also, reciprocal interrelations among self-efficacy and planning were found across both measurement lags.


CONCLUSIONS
Planning was confirmed as a predictor of physical activity, whereas self-efficacy was not. However, cross-lagged interrelations indicated reciprocal reactivation among self-efficacy and planning over time, suggesting beneficial effects of including strategies that foster both volitional constructs in interventions.
Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. jan.keller@fu-berlin.de.
Jan
J
Keller
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
Paul
P
Gellert
Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
Nina
N
Knoll
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Ingelheim, Germany.|Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Germany.
Michael
M
Schneider
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Ingelheim, Germany.
Anna
A
Ernsting
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
health behaviour change; physical activity; planning; self-efficacy; workplace health promotion