Hallam J, Petosa R
Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA.
Am J Health Promot. 1998 Sep-Oct;13(1):4-7. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-13.1.4.
The results suggest social cognitive theory variables associated with the adoption of exercise are changeable in a brief worksite intervention. Self-regulation techniques and outcome-expectancy value improved, but self-efficacy did not improve for the treatment group. One possible explanation is, the intervention did not adequately address the ability to overcome barriers to exercise faced by participants in the intervention. Another explanation may be the effect of experiencing the barriers to exercise faced by subjects during the first 4 weeks of a self-regulated exercise program. Before engaging in exercise, the participants had a perceived level of confidence to overcome barriers to exercise. Once faced with real barriers to exercise, the subjects may have reevaluated their ability to overcome these barriers. It is interesting that the comparison group reported small decreases in all social cognitive theory variables measured in this study. The comparison group received a program of assessment, instruction, and access to facilities that is common to many worksite-based fitness promotion programs. Clearly, this approach did not have a favorable impact on psychosocial variables associated with exercise adherence. These results may be explained by a reevaluation of beliefs and perceived capabilities to exercise, once faced with the real experiences and barriers related to the adoption of an exercise program. The small decreases in social cognitive theory variables in the comparison group may explain high dropout rates in many fitness center programs and warrant further study.
Health promotion specialists at the worksite need intervention programs that are safe, effective, and efficient for their employees. This intervention was based in the classroom, and no exercise was performed during class. This is appealing to employees who do not have access to shower facilities at the worksite. Moreover, in many interventions, subjects exercise during class and have limited time to learn specific skills to help them adopt and maintain exercise outside the structure of the intervention. Having established favorable changes in social cognitive theory constructs attributable to the intervention, a follow-up study should be conducted to determine the extent to which these changes predict adherence to regular exercise. These studies would establish the causal linkages between social cognitive theory constructs and regular exercise.
There were specific limitations, and the results should be interpreted cautiously. The sample size was relatively small, although similar to other exercise intervention research reviewed by Dishman. Another limitation of the sample was no random assignment to treatment or comparison group. The results apply only to the subjects who volunteered for this study. The measure of outcome-expectancy value is the most vulnerable of those used to measure outcome expectations and outcome expectancies. It is possible that the results of the study would be substantially altered if a better measure were available. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. It was assumed the subjects would provide accurate information, but reliance on self-reported data introduces potential sources of error.
结果表明，在简短的工作场所干预中，与锻炼采用相关的社会认知理论变量是可变的。自我调节技术和结果预期值有所改善，但治疗组的自我效能感没有提高。一种可能的解释是，干预措施没有充分解决干预参与者在锻炼时所面临的克服障碍的能力问题。另一种解释可能是，在自我调节锻炼计划的前4周，参与者体验到了锻炼障碍的影响。在开始锻炼之前，参与者有一定的信心去克服锻炼障碍。一旦面对实际的锻炼障碍，参与者可能重新评估了自己克服这些障碍的能力。有趣的是，对照组报告称，本研究中测量的所有社会认知理论变量都有小幅下降。对照组接受了一个评估、指导和使用设施的项目，这是许多基于工作场所的健身促进项目所共有的。显然，这种方法对与锻炼坚持相关的心理社会变量没有产生积极影响。这些结果可以通过重新评估与锻炼相关的信念和感知能力来解释，一旦面对与采用锻炼计划相关的实际经历和障碍。对照组中社会认知理论变量的小幅下降可能解释了许多健身中心项目的高辍学率，值得进一步研究。
工作场所的健康促进专家需要为员工提供安全、有效和高效的干预项目。本次干预以课堂为基础，课堂上不进行锻炼。这对那些在工作场所无法使用淋浴设施的员工很有吸引力。此外，在许多干预中，参与者在课堂上锻炼，并且只有有限的时间来学习特定技能，以帮助他们在干预结构之外采用和维持锻炼。鉴于干预已在社会认知理论结构方面产生了积极变化，应进行后续研究，以确定这些变化在多大程度上能够预测对定期锻炼的坚持。这些研究将确立社会认知理论结构与定期锻炼之间的因果联系。
存在一些特定的局限性，结果应谨慎解读。样本量相对较小，尽管与迪什曼审查的其他锻炼干预研究相似。样本的另一个局限性是没有随机分配到治疗组或对照组。结果仅适用于自愿参加本研究的受试者。结果预期值的测量是用于测量结果预期和结果期望的方法中最易受影响的。如果有更好的测量方法，研究结果可能会有很大改变。数据是通过自我管理的问卷收集的。假设受试者会提供准确信息，但依赖自我报告数据会引入潜在的误差来源。
