Affective and health-related outcome expectancies for physical activity in older adults

Abstract

This study tests the effects of affective and health-related outcome expectancies on physical exercise, assuming stronger direct and indirect (via intention) effects from affective outcome expectancy to physical exercise than from health-related outcome expectancy to exercise. Physical exercise and social cognitive variables were assessed at baseline, and 6- and 12-month follow-up in 335 older adults (60–95 years of age). Applying structural equation modelling, there was a direct effect from affective, but not from health-related outcome expectancy on intentions and behaviour. Also, the indirect effect from self-efficacy on physical exercise via affective outcome expectancy was significant, whereas the mediation via health-related outcome expectancy was not. These findings emphasise the relative importance of affective versus health-related outcome expectancies in predicting intentions and physical exercise in older adults and highlight the importance to separate these facets at a conceptual level to enhance both theory development and health promotion.

Keywords:

• outcome expectancy
• affective
• physical activity
• physical exercise
• intention
• self-efficacy

Acknowledgements

This study has been supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the project ‘Fostering Lifelong Autonomy and Resources in Europe: Behaviour and Successful Aging: FLARE-BSA’ (Project ID 01ET0801). The first author was funded by the PhD Programme ‘Multimorbidity in Old Age’ of the Robert Bosch Foundation. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors.