Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Physical Activity

By Richard Shank Staying Active

Only one-fifth of older adults engage in a level of physical activity that is sufficient enough to produce positive health benefits. Misconceptions about the aging process and beliefs about the costs and benefits of exercise in late life often result in self-imposed, unnecessary, and counterproductive activity restrictions.

The biggest barrier to physical activity for older adults is often their attitude and beliefs about physical exercise. Therefore, activity directors, exercise specialists, and wellness advocates who work with older adults need to spend a lot of time working on the non-physical aspects of physical exercise and offer behavior-intervention programs that directly addresses these misperceptions.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham utilized self-efficacy theory in their recent paper on facilitating physical exercise among older adults. Self-efficacy refers to a person’s sense of confidence in their ability to perform a particular behavior, and is often utilized as a tool that helps to facilitate behavioral modifications, such as increased exercise. In this paper, they outline the relevance for nurse-led intervention programs and physical activity programs for older adults. The perception of efficacy will help determine the types of activities chosen, the effort that gets expended, and the degree that an older adult will continue peforming the activity. Their research shows that persistence and effort will increase when and wherever exercise is linked to meaningful positive outcomes. Building an understanding of how these positive outcomes relate to each and every individual is an important part of building self-efficacy in sedentary older adults.

The theory of self-efficacy implies that behavior change programs can work if they increase the confidence of sedentary older adults to perform physical exercise.This success can be built upon if they consistently link the efforts of program participants to positive short- and long-term outcomes. In terms of physical exercise, outcomes can be related to physical modifications (e.g.. increased strength, body tone, weight loss, etc.) and to overall health benefits as well. However, it is important to note that these motivational outcomes will vary from one person to another. Positive health gains might not be enough of a motivating factor for everyone, at times these gains will need to be linked to other factors (e.g., the ability to spend more quality time with friends and family, longevity, etc.)

Information and feedback provided to participants in exercise programs are key sources of self-efficacy. Celebrating performance accomplishments, utilizing teaching moments, providing verbal encouragement, and facilitating positive emotional responses about their accomplishments are keys to any successful physical exercise program.

Source: Lee, L.L. Arthur, A., Avis, M. 2008. Using self-efficacy theory to develop interventions that help older people overcome psychological barriers to physical activity: A discussion Paper. International Journal of Nursing Studies 45 1690-1699.

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