Health Promotion for People with Disabilities: A Primer for Rehabilitation Counsellors

To engage in the community and the workplace requires physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing. Health promotion is a crucial rehabilitation counselling function for the health and wellbeing of people living with chronic illness and disability (CID). This exploratory review seeks to examine theories and models of motivation applicable to health promotion interventions in rehabilitation counselling practice. Although no single theory can address all the potential variables affecting people with CID's health behaviours, Bandura's (1977) concept of self-efficacy and outcome expectancy appear to be the most common factors in the health promotion models we surveyed. Among theories of motivation, only self-determination theory specifically includes a motivation variable, autonomy (internal and external motivation). We developed a diagram to depict a model, including all the theories and models covered in this exploratory review and identify commonalities among their constructs. This diagram can be used by rehabilitation counsellors to apply theories and models of motivation in case conceptualisation, formulating clinical hypotheses, developing treatment plans, and selecting and implementing evidence-based health promotion interventions for their clients.

Social Cognitive and Planned Behavior Variables Associated With Stages of Change for Physical Activity in Spinal Cord Injury: A Multivariate Analysis

Purpose:To apply the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand the stages of change (SOC) for physical activities among individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Method:Ex post facto design using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The participants were 144 individuals with SCI who completed an online SCT, TPB, and SOC for physical activities survey.

Results:Participants in the preintender, intender, and actor groups differed significantly in functional disability, secondary health conditions, exercise self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers, intention, and physical health.

Conclusion:Findings support the concept of stage-matching exercise and physical activity cognitive behavioral interventions for people with SCI.

Expanding the Health Action and Process Approach to Predict Physical Activity in African Americans With HIV/AIDS

The current study investigated an expanded Health Action and Process Approach (HAPA) as a health-promotion model of physical activity/exercise behavior for African Americans living with HIV/AIDS. Predictions of physical activity/exercise participation were investigated among 110 African Americans living with HIV/AIDS. Results indicate the expanded HAPA model accounts for 35% of the variance in physical activity/exercise participation. The most significant predictor variables were symptom severity, outcome expectancy, and action and coping planning. Action and coping planning also partially mediated the relationship between physical activity/exercise intention and behavior. Results of the study provide partial support for the use of this expanded HAPA model in the design and implementation of health-promotion behavioral interventions targeting physical activity/exercise for Africana Americans with HIV/AIDS.