What the study found
The study found that exercise self-efficacy, meaning confidence in being able to exercise, was the most important factor linked to exercise intention in people after stroke. Perceived benefits and barriers to exercise were also related to exercise intention.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that attention and active measures should be directed toward improving exercise self-efficacy in this population, because they say this would increase exercise intention and reduce the risk of relapse.
What the researchers tested
The researchers collected data from 299 people after stroke in a cross-sectional study, which means the data were gathered at one point in time. They used the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), a theory about how people form health behaviors, and structural equation modeling, a statistical method for testing pathways between variables, to examine factors influencing exercise intention.
What worked and what didn't
Perceived barriers to exercise had an indirect negative effect on exercise intention through exercise self-efficacy. Perceived benefits had both a direct positive effect on exercise intention and an indirect positive effect through exercise self-efficacy, and perceived benefits and barriers were negatively related to each other.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe limitations in detail. Because the study was cross-sectional, it reports associations and modeled pathways from one time point rather than changes over time.
Key points
- Exercise self-efficacy was the strongest factor linked to exercise intention after stroke.
- Perceived benefits of exercise were positively related to exercise intention.
- Perceived barriers to exercise were indirectly linked to lower exercise intention through exercise self-efficacy.
- Perceived benefits and perceived barriers were negatively related to each other.
- The study included 299 people after stroke and used structural equation modeling.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Exercise self-efficacy was the strongest factor linked to exercise intention after stroke
- Authors:
- Yutong Gao, Lili Zhu, Junmei Zhang, Liu R
- Institutions:
- Henan Medical University, Henan Medical University, Henan Medical University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Henan Provincial People's Hospital
- Publication date:
- 2026-07-04
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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