How to build self-efficacy for participation in regular exercise: the science

At the core of early success to foster habit-formation and drive continued participation in physical activity is developing a routine, being supported.

At the core of early success to foster habit-formation and drive continued participation in physical activity is developing a routine, being supported, and receiving recognition (2, 3, 4) rather than placing emphasis on the results of exercising (e.g., using results-driven trackers/wearables for beginners) (5).

In the early stages of pursuing behaviour change, it is paramount to focus on (and reward) students for engaging in physical activity itself, rather than their performance. Central to this approach is allowing the student to build a foundation of self-efficacy and develop a self-initiated routine. It is well-established that allowing students autonomy in setting their own activity goals (at-home, self-initiated) and preferences (what, where, when, how) is critical to building self-efficacy for physical activity and an essential component of successful lifestyle interventions (6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

Successful initiation and maintenance of a physical activity routine is markedly increased when there is support and recognition from the educator (11). When students encounter life challenges/barriers that commonly arise when starting, these challenges are less likely to become a source of failure and more likely to be navigated successfully when support is present. This is especially true for activity-inexperienced students who greatly benefit from being connected to, accountable to, and supported by a trusted person, and even more so by educators who build a trusted friendship (12, 13, 14). 

In summary, the behaviour-change literature has identified that timely support, accountability, and encouragement produce a significant increase in compliance(9, 6, 2, 12) which provides the time for repeated participation and increased self-efficacy.

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