Application of Self-Efficacy to Physical Activity

WHAT: Jordan’s doctor has advised her to engage in physical activity to prevent being placed on medication due to increased levels of blood pressure and cholesterol.  Jordan is disappointed that she didn’t continue her physical activity after being a college athlete.  The main issues faced by Jordan include having bad self-perception/concept, and not having self-efficacy to regain her previously held physical activity levels.  In order to be successful with her personal trainer, Jordan must work through these issues she is faced with and build her self-efficacy and self-perception to a level that supports her goals in her personal training program.

SO WHAT: Analysis of Jordan’s scenario shows that she has poor self-efficacy regarding returning to a physically active lifestyle.  Gill (2008) describes Bandura’s self-efficacy theory as a “situation-specific form of self-confidence, or belief that one is competent and can do whatever is necessary to achieve expected outcomes.”  Jordan struggles with believing that she can return to the level of physical activity that she exhibited during her years as a college athlete.  According to Bandura, poor efficacy will affect effort and persistence, which are required for Jordan to succeed with her trainer.  In a review of Bandura’s research, “social-cognitive theory of self-efficacy was particularly useful in explaining physical exercise behavior among older adults in the United States” (Perkins, et al., 2008).  The clear relationship between self-efficacy and physical activity adherence reflects that Jordan has developed poorer self-efficacy since her college years, and therefore now struggles to be physically active.  Jordan’s self-perception seems to be the bigger picture of her disbelief to become physically active again.  Self-efficacy and self-confidence are descriptive explanations within overall self-perception.  Gill explains that self-perceptions include feelings about one’s abilities in a specific domain, such as exercise.  She shows feelings of guilt for neglecting her health and fitness, and isn’t confident in regaining her health and fitness levels she had in her younger years.

NOW WHAT: As Jordan’s personal trainer, it will be important to address her self-efficacy issues and poor self-perception that she is experiencing during the initial personal training meeting.  Jordan feels that because she has let her health and fitness levels go, that she will be unable to regain activity and health levels she had in college.  The use of imagery is one way to help improve Jordan’s self-efficacy and confidence to become physically active again.  As the trainer, ask Jordan to envision herself exercising with the same confidence and competence as she had when she was a collegiate athlete.  Summarizing Bandura’s research on self-efficacy, Perkins (2008) states that “people will choose a course of action based on their expectation about their own ability to perform a given behavior.”  Therefore, if Jordan can imagine and visualize performing a specific exercise or behavior, she will be more likely to adhere to her personal training program and continue staying physically active.  Also, during a new exercise, ask Jordan to imagine herself performing the exercise with the correct posture/form and completing the required repetitions.  Initially, completing training sessions with her personal trainer alone will aid in performance accomplishments, one of six ways of developing efficacy expectations as described by Gill.  Vicarious experiences are another step for development of efficacy, which involves watching another individual model the activity before doing so yourself.  The personal trainer has a great opportunity here to model and show Jordan specific cardiovascular and weight lifting exercises that will improve her health and increase her physical activity level.  Finally, verbal persuasion and self-talk have been shown to increase self-efficacy.  As the trainer, encouraging Jordan to complete a cardiovascular run, or finish the last repetition of an exercise will persuade Jordan to be successful and complete the specific activity she is performing with the trainer.  Self-talk is another way Jordan can be successful with her trainer.  An example of self-talk would be Jordan telling herself she will get through her entire training session without stopping or resting excessively.  Self-talk could also be used during cardiovascular work-outs, where Jordan can tell herself that continuing her work-outs may very well prevent her from going on medications for her health problems she is facing.

CONCLUSION: The analysis of Jordan’s main issues revolves around poor self-perception; specifically the constructs of self-efficacy which relate to self-perception.  Research on self-efficacy and exercise consistently shows positive correlation between the two variables.  When one’s self-efficacy is higher, so is there level of physically active.  Also, those who participate in more vigorous levels of exercise report having higher levels of self-efficacy.  Increasing Jordan’s self-perception and self-efficacy are important to help her be competent in completing a personal training program and increasing her fitness levels.  Bandura’s research on self-efficacy and exercise lays a foundation for how to address the issues Jordan faces.  By working with imagery, self-talk, and having vicarious experiences, Jordan will continue to progress through her personal training sessions and as a result, increase her self-efficacy and self-perception. 

REFERENCES

Gill, D. L., & Williams, L. (2008). Psychological dynamics of sport and exercise (3rd Ed.).                                               Champaign, IL:Human Kinetics.

Perkins, J.M., Multhaup, K.S., Perkins, W., et al. (2008). Self-efficacy and participation in physical and social activity among older adults in Spain and the United States. The Gerontologist, 48(1), 51-58.