Correlation between self-efficacy and social support for activity scale and fitness condition

Abstract

Background: Several factors influence the levels of fitness in people with intellectual disabilities (King et al., 2003) including self-efficacy and social support (Jamieson, Parker, Roberts-Thomson, Lawrence, & Broughton, 2014). The objective of our study is to examine the relationship between fitness and self-efficacy and social support for activity in people with intellectual disabilities. Our hypothesis is that self-efficacy and social support will have a mild relationship to fitness.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted. We used the self efficacy and social support for activity scale for people with intellectual disabilities (SE/SS-AID). To measure the correlations we used physical fitness tests (Functional reach test, Single-leg stance with eyes open-, Single-leg stance with eyes closed, passive knee extension, calf muscle flexibility, anterior hip flexibility, functional shoulder rotation, Time-stands test, Partial sit-up test, Handgrip test, two-minute step test). The physical fitness tests was separated into four categories to provide greater specificity (strength, balance, flexibility and aerobic condition). Data from the SE/SS-AID and physical fitness tests were measured in 131 adults with ID. Results and discussion. We found important correlations between the physical fitness tests and the SE/SS-AID (Calf Muscle Flexibility = 0.26 Anterior Hip Flexibility = 0.23 Abdominal Strength= 0, 21). To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the correlations between fitness, self-efficacy and social support for activities. Other studies have measured fitness condition and social support and self efficacy for activity with regard to the SE/SS-AID scale for people with intellectual disabilities (Skowronski, Horvat, Nocera, Roswal, & Croce, 2009) but we can not know the correlations between these

Conclusion: The main conclusion of our studywas that we found a low correlation between some physical fitness tests and the Self Efficacy and Social Support scales for activities.

References

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