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Helping Older Adults Sustain their Gains: A Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Adherence to Home Exercise Following Physical Therapy

Gallagher, Kristel Marie
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1341193649

Abstract Details

2012, PHD, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
The benefits of exercise gained by older adults during physical therapy are often not maintained once the program is over. This lack of sustained benefits is thought to be partially the result of poor adherence to the prescribed home exercise program to be continued once therapy is completed. Most of what is known about older adults' adherence to physical therapy and home exercise comes from research seeking to identify and understand predictors of adherence, rather than trying to enhance adherence explicitly. The purpose of this study was to test a theoretically-grounded approach to promoting adherence to home exercise programs in older adults following discharge from physical therapy. Sixty older adults in a program of physical therapy received one of two print messages promoting adherence to home exercise. The content of the messages were informed by the goal-specific tenets of socioemotional selectivity theory - one message described the emotional and meaningful benefits of home exercise (i.e., time with loved ones, independence) and one message described the physiological benefits (i.e., balance, strength). Adherence to home exercise was measured two weeks after participants were discharged from physical therapy. There was not a significant difference in adherence between the participants receiving either message, however those who received the message describing the emotional and meaningful benefits of exercise performed somewhat more exercises outside of their home exercise program than participants who received the message describing the physiological benefits (p = .06). The applied value of socioemotional selectivity theory should continue to be investigated in the realm of health behavior change, particularly when it comes to health message tailoring. This study may reveal only the ‘tip of the ice berg’ in that it was the first to empirically test an intervention targeting post-physical therapy home exercise, as well as the first to integrate socioemotional selectivity theory into persuasive health messages used in a real-world setting. Future research is needed to push each of these fruitful areas forward.
John Updegraff, Ph.D. (Advisor)
132 p.
Aging; Communication; Health; Physical Therapy; Psychology; Public Health; Social Psychology
socioemotional selectivity theory; health messages; health communication; physical therapy; home exercise; older adults; health psychology; motivation; persuasive communications

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Gallagher, K. M. (2012). Helping Older Adults Sustain their Gains: A Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Adherence to Home Exercise Following Physical Therapy [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1341193649

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Gallagher, Kristel. Helping Older Adults Sustain their Gains: A Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Adherence to Home Exercise Following Physical Therapy. 2012. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1341193649.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Gallagher, Kristel. "Helping Older Adults Sustain their Gains: A Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Adherence to Home Exercise Following Physical Therapy." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1341193649

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1341193649
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.