Putting theory into practice
Defining self-efficacy and identifying its key elements is one thing; transforming theory into reality is quite another. In the article, "How to help your client stick with an exercise program," in the November/December issue of the Health & Fitness Journal, the authors outline the following prescription:
• The preliminary interview. The goal of this technique is emotional arousal through education. During this meeting, you have an opportunity to find out what employees hope to gain from exercise. You can build emotional arousal by explaining the physiological changes that occur with regular exercise, and discuss whether the employee’s expectations are realistic and/or attainable. You can also probe to see how self-efficacious the individual is.
• Social interaction and observation. This affords vicarious experience both through meeting others with similar goals and observation of others performing similar tasks. You can introduce employees to current fitness center members who have successfully attained similar goals. The role model’s characteristics should match the employee’s as closely as possible. If you have them available, provide the employee with videos that demonstrate the fitness assessment process and/or proper exercise techniques.
• Fitness assessment: This engenders emotional arousal through education and verbal persuasion through feedback. Perform the assessment after you have interviewed the employee and allowed them to observe others. When you explain how the tests relate to exercise and health, you create a learning opportunity. Corrections and compliments during cardiorespiratory and muscle fitness tests can also enhance self-efficacy.
• Exercise programming and demonstration. This provides verbal persuasion through feedback, and performance mastery through the mastery of simple exercise components. When introducing a new exercise, break it down into sequential components and demonstrate each component independently. Once the first component has been mastered, move to the next, until the entire sequence has been mastered.
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