Predictors of Physical Activity in Persons with Mental Illness: Testing a Social Cognitive Model

TY - JOUR

T1 - Predictors of Physical Activity in Persons with Mental Illness

T2 - Testing a Social Cognitive Model

AU - Zechner, Michelle R.

AU - Gill, Kenneth J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2016 American Psychological Association.

PY - 2016/12/1

Y1 - 2016/12/1

N2 - Objective: This study examined whether the social cognitive theory (SCT) model can be used to explain the variance in physical exercise among persons with serious mental illnesses. Method: A crosssectional, correlational design was employed. Participants from community mental health centers and supported housing programs (N = 120) completed 9 measures on exercise, social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goal-setting. Results: Hierarchical regression tested the relationship between self-report physical activity and SCT determinants while controlling for personal characteristics. The model explained 25% of the variance in exercise. Personal characteristics explained 18% of the variance in physical activity, SCT variables of social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goals were entered simultaneously, and they added an r2 change value of .07. Gender (β =-.316, p = .001) and Brief Symptom Inventory Depression subscale (β =-2.08, p < .040) contributed significantly to the prediction of exercise. In a separate stepwise multiple regression, we entered only SCT variables as potential predictors of exercise. Goal-setting was the single significant predictor, F(1, 118) = 13.59, p < .01), r2 = .10. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: SCT shows promise as an explanatory model of exercise in persons with mental illnesses. Goal-setting practices, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and social support from friends for exercise should be encouraged by psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners. People with more depressive symptoms and women exercise less. More work is needed on theoretical exploration of predictors of exercise.

AB - Objective: This study examined whether the social cognitive theory (SCT) model can be used to explain the variance in physical exercise among persons with serious mental illnesses. Method: A crosssectional, correlational design was employed. Participants from community mental health centers and supported housing programs (N = 120) completed 9 measures on exercise, social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goal-setting. Results: Hierarchical regression tested the relationship between self-report physical activity and SCT determinants while controlling for personal characteristics. The model explained 25% of the variance in exercise. Personal characteristics explained 18% of the variance in physical activity, SCT variables of social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, barriers, and goals were entered simultaneously, and they added an r2 change value of .07. Gender (β =-.316, p = .001) and Brief Symptom Inventory Depression subscale (β =-2.08, p < .040) contributed significantly to the prediction of exercise. In a separate stepwise multiple regression, we entered only SCT variables as potential predictors of exercise. Goal-setting was the single significant predictor, F(1, 118) = 13.59, p < .01), r2 = .10. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: SCT shows promise as an explanatory model of exercise in persons with mental illnesses. Goal-setting practices, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and social support from friends for exercise should be encouraged by psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners. People with more depressive symptoms and women exercise less. More work is needed on theoretical exploration of predictors of exercise.

KW - SCT

KW - exercise

KW - health behavior

KW - mental illness

KW - self-efficacy

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U2 - 10.1037/prj0000191

DO - 10.1037/prj0000191

M3 - Article

C2 - 27183187

SN - 1095-158X

VL - 39

SP - 321

EP - 327

JO - Psychiatric rehabilitation journal

JF - Psychiatric rehabilitation journal

IS - 4

ER -