Pilot Study: The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Adherence to an Exercise Program

Abstract

Obesity has exponentially increased over the last few decades within the United States. In relation to obesity, several of the top leading causes of death in the United States are directly related to obesity, including cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, and variations of cancer. To combat chronic obesity and comorbidities, current guidelines for management of obesity propose a multi-modal approach, including lifestyle modification and behavioral counseling. In this, self-efficacy is considered to be a reliable predictor of adherence or withdrawal from an exercise program. This study utilized the General Self-Efficacy scale (GSE) to observe an individual’s self-efficacy in relation to adherence to the exercise protocol. The fitness data was collected via provided FitBit, analyzing the participant’s daily active minutes, steps, and calories burned. The individual’s adherence was measured based on whether the individual met their assigned weekly exercise protocol. The individual’s self-provided GSE scale score and rate of adherence were analyzed at the end of the study. It was determined that no participant truly met all their weekly goals; however, some participants had higher step and moderate-to-vigorous (MTV) exercise averages compared to others. The preliminary data was inconclusive between the long-term relationship between self-efficacy and adherence to an exercise program due to limitations within the study; however, predictive conclusions can be drawn. This paper also discusses future practical implications for revision of this study to improve the quality of future results.