Examining daily physical activity in community-dwelling adults with stroke using social cognitive theory: an exploratory, qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose: A better understanding of psychosocial factors underlying daily physical activity (i.e. physical activity performed throughout the day) in stroke survivors could be used to develop interventions to promote post-stroke physical activity, particularly in individuals for whom exercise is difficult.

Methods: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 ambulatory, community-dwelling stroke survivors. Interview transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis, guided by Social Cognitive Theory, to investigate outcomes expectations, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and social-support for daily physical activity.

Results: Participants reported that physical and mental health, and independence and recovery, were important outcomes expectations. Self-efficacy was enhanced through mental perceptions and mastery experiences. Planning, problem-solving, reviewing performance, and establishing routines that require physical activity were important self-regulation strategies. Social support provided praise and encouragement and physical assistance, but was also a barrier when friends and family were overprotective.

Conclusions: Participants reported that the investigated Social Cognitive Theory constructs were important psychosocial factors for daily physical activity. Future research and clinical investigations should empirically test the use of strategies to modify these factors for promoting daily physical activity in community-dwelling adults with stroke.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Interventions to increase physical activity after stroke are needed.

• Outcomes expectations, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and social support were reported by participants as important psychosocial factors underlying daily physical activity.

• These psychosocial factors should be explored with individual patients and clients to determine which are most deficient, and where amenable to change, targeted for intervention to promote daily physical activity.

Keywords:

• Outcomes expectations
• physical activity
• self-efficacy
• self-regulation
• social support
• social cognitive theory
• stroke

Acknowledgements

The study author would like to thank Paulina Jimenez, MPH, for her contribution to this project in her role as research assistant.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Grant 5T32HL130357-02.