“The science behind success” – A perspective for educators
Agency refers to the human capability to influence one’s functioning and the course of events by one’s actions.
To have “agency over one’s health” means that an individual is able to monitor their environment to select and perform efficient means-ends health behaviours (e.g., physical activity) to achieve an intended goal (e.g., improved health and well-being).
There are several functions through which human agency over one’s health is exercised (e.g., intentions, action plans), however, among the mechanisms of agency, it has been suggested that none are more central or pervasive than beliefs of personal efficacy (1). In this regard, students must be provided with the opportunity to experience initial successes or accomplishments in order to enhance their levels of self-efficacy and perceived capability (i.e., belief that they can be successful) when starting to be physically active.
These early experiences of success help to build self-efficacy for being active, which in turn contributes to continued engagement in physical activity and increased tolerance for failure. As a result, students begin to establish a degree of agency over their health.
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, 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.
References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W H Freeman/Times Books/ Henry Holt & Co.
Rodgers, Wendy M., and Michael J. L. Sullivan. “Task, Coping, and Scheduling Self-Efficacy in Relation to Frequency of Physical Activity.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 31, no. 4, 2001, pp. 741–753., doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb01411.x.
Kohlstedt, Sarah S. et al “Psychological Factors influencing Exercise Adherence among Females” Psychology Vol.4 No.12(2013), Paper ID 40484, 7 pages DOI:10.4236/psych.2013.412132 Psychology 2013. Vol.4, No.12, 917-923
Olander, E.K., Fletcher, H., Williams, S. et al. What are the most effective techniques in changing obese individuals’ physical activity self-efficacy and behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 10, 29 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-29
Herz, J. C. “Wearables Are Totally Failing the People Who Need Them Most.” Wired, Conde Nast, 5 June 2018, www.wired.com/2014/11/where-fitness-trackers-fail/. Bondaronek, Paulina et al. “Quality of Publicly Available Physical Activity Apps: Review and Content Analysis.” JMIR mHealth and uHealth vol. 6,3 e53. 21 Mar. 2018, doi:10.2196/mhealth.9069
Dominika Kwasnicka , Nikos Ntoumanis & Falko F. Sniehotta (2020): Setting performance and learning goals is useful for active and inactive individuals, if goals are personalized and flexible: commentary on Swann et al. (2020), Health Psychology Review, DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2020.1762107
Reed, A. Joseph A. Mikels, Corinna E. Löckenhoff, Choosing with confidence: Self-efficacy and Preferences for Choice, Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 7, no. 2, March 2012, pp. 173-180
Kahlert, Daniela. (2015). Maintenance of physical activity: Do we know what we are talking about?. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2. 178-180. 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.02.013.
Tsang, Sandra K M et al. “Self-efficacy as a positive youth development construct: a conceptual review.” TheScientificWorldJournal vol. 2012 (2012): 452327. doi:10.1100/2012/452327
Telama, Risto. “Tracking of physical activity from childhood to adulthood: a review.” Obesity facts vol. 2,3 (2009): 187-95. doi:10.1159/000222244.
Myer, Gregory D et al. “Exercise deficit disorder in youth: a paradigm shift toward disease prevention and comprehensive care.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 12,4 (2013): 248-55. doi:10.1249/JSR.0b013e31829a74cd
Hamilton, Kyra, et al. “The Role of Self-Efficacy and Friend Support on Adolescent Vigorous Physical Activity.” Health Education & Behavior, vol. 44, no. 1, Feb. 2017, pp. 175–181, doi:10.1177/1090198116648266.
Emilio Ferrer-Caja & Maureen R. Weiss (2000) Predictors of Intrinsic Motivation among Adolescent Students in Physical Education, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71:3, 267-279, DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2000.10608907
Hennessy, Emily A et al. “Self-regulation mechanisms in health behavior change: a systematic meta-review of meta-analyses, 2006-2017.” Health psychology review vol. 14,1 (2020): 6-42. doi:10.1080/17437199.2019.1679654
