Self-efficacy and physical activity in adolescents with trivial, mild, or moderate congenital cardiac malformations

Our purpose was to examine the cognitive processes that influence involveme nt in physical activity among 100 adolescents, 55 boys and 45 girls, rangin g in age from 12 to 18 years, with trivial! mild, or moderate forms of cong enital cardiac disease. We hypothesized, first, that the severity of the co ngenital cardiac malformation itself has an indirect effect on self-efficac y regarding physical activity, and that the relationship between the two is mediated by the recommendations of the cardiologist and the attitude of th e mother. Second, we argued that self-efficacy serves as a mediating variab le between the recommendations of the cardiologist and the attitude of the mother, on the one hand, and involvement in physical activity, on the other . The results confirmed both hypotheses. In a population of adolescents wit h trivial to moderate congenital cardiac malformations, beliefs in self-eff icacy, rather than severity of the disease, were the most influential facto rs in determining whether or not adolescents will engage in sports or other physical activities. We also demonstrated the importance of the role playe d by the recommendations of the cardiologist in determining both the attitu des of the mother and the belief in self-efficacy of the adolescents.