Self-efficacy in patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions discharged from physical therapy service: A...

This study aimed to investigate self-efficacy levels of patients after finishing rehabilitation for chronic musculoskeletal conditions and identify factors related to self-efficacy.

Two hundred and eight patients aged >40 years with musculoskeletal disorders were included. Self-efficacy was assessed by the Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale (CPSS), and regression analyses were used to test six predictors of self-efficacy: age, symptom duration, number of physical therapy sessions, postdischarge pain intensity, perceived clinical improvement, and cognitive reassurance. Self-efficacy was compared between patients who reported improvement and worsening of their clinical condition, and a cutoff value for self-efficacy was established using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses to distinguish patients with severe pain from those with mild to moderate pain.

Better perceived clinical improvement (Beta = -0.37, p = 0.000), lower pain intensity (Beta = -0.33, p = 0.000), and a lower number of physical therapy sessions (Beta = -0.12, p = 0.027) were related to greater self-efficacy. No significant associations were observed between self-efficacy and age, symptom duration, and cognitive reassurance. The patients who reported improvement had greater self-efficacy (204.76 ± 52.80) than those who reported worsening of their clinical condition (145.45 ± 44.18; p = 0.000). A CPSS score of 172 points (sensitivity of 0.77; specificity of 0.72) may indicate low self-efficacy.

A higher perception of self-efficacy after discharge from physiotherapy is associated with better perceived clinical improvement, lower pain intensity, and a lower number of physical therapy sessions. Therefore, interventions to support patients' exercise-based rehabilitation should include self-efficacy, which may affect the prognosis of patients with chronic conditions.