Predicting scheduling self-efficacy in older adult exercisers: The role oftask cohesion

The study examined the relative influence of 2 forms of task cohesion on ol der adult exercisers' (N = 82) self-efficacy to schedule exercise into thei r weekly routine. Participants had been involved with the exercise program for at least 4 months before the study began. A sequencing protocol was use d to allow for task cohesion's influence on scheduling self-efficacy. Task cohesion, as measured by the Group Environment Questionnaire, was assessed during the Ist week of exercise classes after a holiday. Scheduling self-ef ficacy was assessed at midprogram. Attractions to the group-task and group- integration-task cohesion were sequentially entered into a hierarchical reg ression analysis while recent attendance was controlled for. Results showed individual attractions to the group task accounted for most of the varianc e in scheduling self-efficacy, R-2 = .10, F(2, 80) = 4.22, p = .02; the add ition of group-integration task also significantly (p < .05) added variance , R-2 = .13, F(3, 79) = 3.79, p = .01.