Training With A Fitness Professional Reduces Exercise Self-efficacy In The Sedentary, Obese, Older Adult

Developing exercise self-efficacy can be especially challenging in the sedentary, obese, older adult. Self-efficacy, a construct derived from the social cognitive theory, describes a person’s belief in their abilities to perform a specific behavior. However, exercising with a fitness professional can lead to a decline in exercise self-efficacy in this population. This reliance may be the result of the individuals realizing the difficulty of attempting to exercise on their own, versus with the assistance of a fitness professional. PURPOSE: To determine if training with a fitness professional reduces exercise self-efficacy in the sedentary, obese older adult. METHODS: Ten older adults (> 60 years), defined as “sedentary” by the American College of Sports Medicine, completed an “exercise self-efficacy” survey (Kroll et al., 2007) before participating in a physical activity program. Self-efficacy was assessed again after approximately six months. One statement from the survey was considered for this investigation: “I am confident that I can be physically active or exercise without the help of a therapist or trainer”. Pre- and post-intervention comparisons were assessed using a paired-samples t-test. RESULTS: Post-intervention self-efficacy (m = 1.8) significantly decreased (p < .001) compared to pre-intervention (m = 2.7). CONCLUSION: Training with a fitness professional significantly decreases exercise self-efficacy in the sedentary, obese older adult.