Correlates of stages of change for physical activity in adults with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) is commonly used to understand physical activity (PA) behavior in the general population; however, few researchers have explored its relevance for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined the relative importance of health (symptoms and mobility impairments) and TTM constructs (behavioral and cognitive processes of change) in influencing stages of change placement for PA in a sample of 303 persons with MS using discriminant function analysis. The overall accuracy of predicting stages of change was 58.75%. Behavioral (r(2) = .35) and cognitive processes (r(2) = .17) accounted for the most variance, followed by mobility (r(2) = .11) and self-efficacy (r(2) = .05). Results provide support for evaluating whether TTM-based interventions can promote PA in adults with MS.