Self-efficacy in exercise behaviour in persons with a diagnosed condition: a systematic evidence map

Area of Science:

• Health Psychology
• Behavioral Medicine
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Self-efficacy is crucial for achieving behavioral goals, particularly in health-related activities like exercise.
• Exercise behavior is vital for managing pre-existing health conditions.
• The research landscape on self-efficacy in exercise for individuals with health conditions is extensive but unmapped.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of published empirical research on self-efficacy in exercise behavior among individuals with pre-existing conditions.
• To systematically chart the breadth of evidence in this research field.
• To identify trends and gaps in the existing literature.

Main Methods:

• A systematic evidence map (SEM) approach was employed, following established methodologies.
• Searches were conducted in Medline (PubMed) and PsycINFO databases.
• Included studies published up to 2022 measuring self-efficacy in relation to exercise in humans with pre-existing conditions.

Main Results:

• Over 1342 studies were included, with a significant increase in publications since the 1980s.
• Research predominantly focuses on middle-aged and older adults.
• Endocrine, nutritional, metabolic, and circulatory diseases are the most frequently studied conditions.

Conclusions:

• This SEM offers the first comprehensive mapping of empirical publications on self-efficacy in exercise for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
• The field is broad, encompassing numerous conditions and self-efficacy measurement scales.
• Future research should address scale validation, robustness, comparability, and underrepresented disease groups.