Meeting Physical Activity Recommendations: Self-Regulatory Efficacy Characterizes Differential Adherence During Arthritis Flares.

Purpose: Using social-cognitive theory, we examined whether adults who experienced an arthritis flare and met/did not meet the disease-specific public health recommended dose for physical activity differed in their self-regulatory efficacy beliefs, overall pain, and flare-related factors. Research Method/Design: Adults with arthritis (N = 56; Mage = 49.41 ± 11.56 years) participated in this prospective study. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance comparing groups who met or did not meet the recommended dose (nmet = 24, ≥ 150 minutes/week vs. nnot met, = 32, < 150 mm/week) on efficacy, overall pain, and flare-related factors was significant (p < .01; ηpartial2 = .28). People meeting the dose had significantly greater self-regulatory efficacy to overcome arthritis barriers (Mmet dose 7.33 ± 1.95 vs. Mdid not moot dose = 5.74 ± 2.08, ηpartial2 = .14) and to schedule/plan (Mmet dose = 7.27 ± 1.80 vs. Mdid not meet dose = 5.72 ± 1.90, ηpartial2 = .15). Overall pain and flare-related factors did not differ (ps > .05). Conclusion/Implication: During flares, individuals with greater self-regulatory efficacy to manage disease barriers and plan their physical activity were more adherent to disease-specific public health activity recommendations. This study was the first to demonstrate differences in social cognitions that characterize adherence to recommended activity among people challenged by arthritis flares. Findings support the theoretical position that self-regulatory efficacy is related to better adherence in the face of challenging disease-related circumstances. The importance of studying individual characteristics of people who succeed in being active despite such obstacles is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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