Factors associated with maintenance and relapse following self-management training

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Psychology
• Health Education

Background:

• Self-management training courses aim to equip individuals with skills for sustained behavior change.
• Understanding factors influencing relapse and maintenance is crucial for optimizing training effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictors of relapse and maintenance following a self-management training course.
• To explore the role of self-efficacy and outcome expectancy in long-term project success.

Main Methods:

• A 3-week, 30-hour graduate-level extension course in self-management was delivered to 35 community professionals.
• Participants completed a self-modification project, with outcomes assessed at a 10-week follow-up.
• Data included end-of-class self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and self-reported difficulties with high-risk situations.

Main Results:

• End-of-class self-efficacy and outcome expectancy correctly classified over 80% of participants who maintained gains versus those who relapsed.
• The relapsed group reported significantly greater difficulty managing anticipated high-risk situations compared to the maintenance group.

Conclusions:

• Self-efficacy and outcome expectancy are key indicators of sustained self-management behaviors post-training.
• Addressing challenges in high-risk situations is vital for preventing relapse and promoting long-term maintenance of self-management skills.