SERIAL FLUCTUATIONS IN EXERCISE BEHAVIOR AS A FUNCTION OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND EFFICACY COGNITIONS

The present study investigated the role of social support provisions a nd efficacy cognitions in adherence to a prescribed exercise regimen. A generalized estimating equations approach was employed to estimate r egression coefficients via an iterative weighted least squares algorit hm. Findings indicated that when employed as time-varying covariates, the social provisions of reassurance of worth, attachment, and, to a l esser extent, guidance were significantly associated with intraindivid ual fluctuations in program adherence. Specifically, individuals with a greater sense of self-worth were more likely to adhere throughout th e program, whereas the effects of subject's perceptions of greater att achment, although generally related to sustained adherence, fluctuated over time. Findings also suggest that individuals perceiving higher l evels of guidance were less likely to adhere during the early and conc luding stages of the exercise program. Although synchronous covariatio n existed between efficacy cognitions and attendance, self-efficacy wa s not predictive of intraindividual change in attendance over time. Re sults are discussed in regard to the importance of self-referent proce sses and social provisions in exercise adherence, and the utility of t he proposed generalized estimating equations approach to the analysis of longitudinal data.