2025/01/01 by Elizabeth Zambrano Garza, Tiana Broen, Maureen C. Ashe +4
Medicine · Psychology · #Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports #Physical Activity and Health #Sport Psychology and Performance
paper · doi:10.1123/japa.2025-0005
openalex publication_date 2025/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Older adults often face daily problems that can interfere with physical activity. Although individual self-efficacy (confidence in one's own abilities) is known to promote physical activity, it overlooks the social influences in older adults' lives. Relation-inferred self-efficacy (the belief that a close other has confidence in one's abilities) may provide additional insight. This study explored associations between daily problems, individual self-efficacy, and relation-inferred self-efficacy with physical activity (moderate to vigorous physical activity and steps). It also examined whether individual and relation-inferred self-efficacy moderate the relationship between daily problems and physical activity. METHODS: A sample of 226 community-dwelling older adults (109 couples and eight individuals) wore accelerometers for up to 7 days to track daily physical activity. Participants also reported daily problems and levels of self-efficacy. Multilevel models were used to examine the associations of self-efficacy and daily challenges with physical activity and to test moderation effects of self-efficacy on the problem-physical activity relationship. RESULTS: Both individual and relation-inferred self-efficacy were positively associated with physical activity when examined separately. However, when modeled together, only relation-inferred self-efficacy remained a significant predictor. Daily problems were not significantly related to physical activity, and there were no significant moderation effects of self-efficacy on the problem-physical activity relationship. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that relation-inferred self-efficacy might be more important than individual self-efficacy for physical activity among older adults, emphasizing the role of social context. Significance/Implications: Interventions promoting physical activity in older adults may benefit from incorporating support from close others to enhance relation-inferred self-efficacy.