Self-efficacy theory: Use in the prediction of exercise behavior in the community setting

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Abstract
The purpose of this article was to report on studies that examined the use of Self Efficacy Theory to investigate the exercise involvement of beginner and experienced participants in both structured and unstructured community-based exercise settings. In both of the studies reported, conceptual and methodological improvements based on Self-Efficacy Theory resulted in effective prediction of exercise intentions and attendance. These improvements concerned (a) the use of a non static, prospective design, (b) assessments in different exercise settings, and (c)measurement of different aspects of self-efficacy for exercise. The results of these studies suggest that when predicting the involvement of community-based participants, both cognitive (i.e., self-efficacy) and behavioral (i.e., behavioral intention) factors contribute effectively to predictions. These findings not only support self-efficacy theory, they also underscore the importance of concept differentiation in measures and identify variables that could potentially be targets for change by social-cognitive intervention.