title: Effects of Gait Self-Efficacy and Lower-Extremity Physical Function on Dual-Task Performance in Older Adults.
abstract: Objectives.Despite evidence of self-efficacy and physical function's influences on functional limitations in older adults, few studies have examined relationships in the context of complex, real-world tasks. The present study tested the roles of self-efficacy and physical function in predicting older adults' street-crossing performance in single- and dual-task simulations.Methods.Lower-extremity physical function, gait self-efficacy, and street-crossing success ratio were assessed in 195 older adults (60-79 years old) at baseline of a randomized exercise trial. During the street-crossing task, participants walked on a self-propelled treadmill in a virtual reality environment. Participants crossed the street without distraction (single-task trials) and conversed on a cell phone (dual-task trials). Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized associations independent of demographic and clinical covariates.Results.Street-crossing performance was better on single-task trials when compared with dual-task trials. Direct effects of self-efficacy and physical function on success ratio were observed in dual-task trials only. The total effect of self-efficacy was significant in both conditions. The indirect path through physical function was evident in the dual-task condition only.Conclusion.Physical function can predict older adults' performance on high fidelity simulations of complex, real-world tasks. Perceptions of function (i.e., self-efficacy) may play an even greater role. The trial is registered with United States National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT01472744; Fit & Active Seniors Trial).
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Diane K
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9545-9556
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Banducci
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Daugherty
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanning
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Awick
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Gwenndolyn C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burzynska
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McAuley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis