Article

Identify facilitators and barriers to physical activity (PA), and
explore the utility of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Transactional Model of
Stress and Coping (TMSC) in understanding PA behaviour among persons with
multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Thirteen participants from a clinical trial
were interviewed and classified as physically active, sometimes active or
inactive based on the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II. Interviews were
analysed using analytical induction, which consisted of coding data into
pre-established categories and then exploring similarities and differences
between groups. Pre-established coding categories were constructs from SCT (i.e.
environment, expectations, self-efficacy and self-regulation) and TMSC (i.e. stress appraisal and coping style). RESULTS: Inactive and active participants
differed in their self-regulation skills, self-efficacy and coping styles. Common
barriers to PA included symptoms and the physical and social environment.
Facilitators of PA included strong self-regulation skills, confidence to overcome
symptoms to engage in PA (i.e. barrier self-efficacy) and positive coping styles.
CONCLUSION: Results from this pilot study suggest that PA interventions will need
to implement multiple strategies that target self-efficacy, social environment
and coping styles. We found SCT and TMSC useful in understanding PA behaviour
among persons with MS; however, a limitation to these theories is that they are
not explicit in the relationship between health and cognitions. Future research
will need to explore how to incorporate models of health and function into
existing behaviour change theories.

Langue : ANGLAIS