Social support and efficacy cognitions in exercise adherence: a latent growth curve analysis

Although a considerable amount of research has established the beneficial effects of social support on health and well-being, relatively little work has focused on identifying those processes by which social support influences various health promoting behaviors. Various lines of research demonstrate converging evidence which suggests that self-efficacy may operate as one possible mediator linking psychosocial influences to positive health functioning associated with regular habitual exercise. The present study examined the relationships among social support, self-efficacy, and the ongoing exercise behavior of sedentary adults. Latent growth modeling techniques were utilized to determine whether self-efficacy served a mediational role in the influence of social support on exercise behaviors. Findings are discussed with reference to the role of cognitive and behavioral mechanisms in the relationship between supportive functions of social networks and improvements in health and well-being associated with regular exercise.