EFFECTS OF SELF-EFFICACY AND DISPOSITIONAL OPTIMISM ON ADHERENCE TO STEP AEROBIC EXERCISE CLASSES

This study investigated the effects of generalized and domain-specific expectancies on participation in 8 weeks of step aerobic-exercise cla sses. 154 university students and staff who registered for step aerobi c classes completed measures of aerobic self-efficacy and dispositiona l optimism prior to attending their first class. At tendance was taken ar each session by the instructors. A split at the median on attendan ce classified participants as dropouts or adherers. Analysis indicated that adherers scored significantly higher on self-efficacy than did d ropouts. Adherers and dropouts did not differ on dispositional optimis m.