Factors Related to Stages of Change in Physical Activity among People with Schizophrenia in Northeastern Thailand
Keywords:
schizophrenia, physical activity, internalized stigma, Transtheoretical Model (TTM)Abstract
Understanding the stages of change in physical activity among people with schizophrenia using the Transtheoretical model (TTM) to promote physical activity is beneficial. This research aimed to examine the factors related to the stages of change in physical activity among this population at psychiatric hospital outpatient clinics in northeastern Thailand. A sample of 380 patients with schizophrenia were recruited and completed questionnaires after being screened for the severity of psychiatric symptoms using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and scoring less than, or equal to, 36. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficients. The stages of change in physical activity were significantly related to decisional balance (pros) in the perceived advantages of physical activity (r = .13; p < .01) and the processes of change (r = .20; p < .01), particularly the behavioral process of change (r = .30; p < .01). In contrast, the stages of change in physical activity were not significantly related to decisional balance (cons) in perceived disadvantages (r = .05; p = .33), the cognitive or experiential processes in process of change (r = .06; p = .27), self-efficacy (r = .08; p = .14), or internalized stigma of mental illness (r = .08; p = .13). Therefore, it may be more beneficial for people with schizophrenia to reinforce the advantages of physical activity, rather than dwelling on the disadvantages of not being physically active or making complicated arguments to persuade them to be more physically active. Future studies should consider undertaking longitudinal research and performing more complex statistical analyses.
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