Factors for motivational intervention of exercise in patients with psychosis

Abstract

BackgroundPhysical activity has many well-known benefits including reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancers and early death. Despite the fact that regular physical activity helps to improve functioning and reduce symptoms, the prevalence of physical activity remains low due to multiple biopsychosocial factors. In order to successfully motivate change in physical activity habit among this population, potential factors in predicting change in physical activity behavior was explored.MethodsA cross sectional survey questionnaires using the 5-point-likert scale were used to measure the physical activity behavior, which include decisional balance, self-efficacy and processes of change, among out-patients who are diagnosed with psychosis with age between 18 – 64, at the out-patient clinic in Hong Kong. Results181 outpatients completed the questionnaires and the majority of the subjects were in contemplation stage (51.4%), followed by preparation stage (25.4%), pre-contemplation stage (17.1%) and action and maintenance stages (6.1%). The mean age of this sample was 29.2 years old and 64.2 % of subjects were diagnosed as schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Male showed a higher level of intention in changing physical activity behavior than female. In general, the mean of all factors were in the prophesied direction with significant findings except the cons of decisional balance and dramatic relief.Discussion The findings indicated that different physical activity level was correlated with different physical activity behavior. Motivational intervention with strategies in promoting regular physical activity based on the targeted factors was developed.