Effects of video modeling on self-efficacy and exercise performance of COPD patients

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of an exercise-based pulm onary rehabilitation program for persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Effects of a complemented video-modeling strategy were stu died and compared to the control group which adopted behavioral training st rategies in the exercise program only. Eleven patients with COPD received a one-month (three times per week) behavioral exercise program with video mo deling. Another eleven patients participated in a control group which perfo rmed the same exercise without video modeling. The patients' exercise inten sity was monitored by pre-study stress tests to ensure that the participant s were all having a comparable level of sub-maximal exercise. They particip ated in an exercise program which included gradual upgrading of walking on the treadmill, or cycling, and a five-point rating scale assessed their per formance level. Their self-efficacy was assessed by using an exercise self- efficacy scale complemented with open-ended questions to elicit their viewp oints on factors affecting their exercise performance, including the video modeling strategy. From the results, both groups showed statistically signi ficant improvement in exercise performance and self-efficacy. Participants in the video-modeling group showed greater - though not statistically signi ficant - improvement compared to the control group in both exercise perform ance and self-efficacy. The video modeling group generally held positive vi ewpoints on using video modeling as an effective training strategy to impro ve the outcome of the pulmonary rehabilitation program.