Abstract

PEDRAS, Susana; OLIVEIRA, Rafaela  and  SILVA, Ivone. Motivation as an essential ingredient for behavioral change in peripheral arterial disease. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.3, pp.908-920.  Epub Dec 31, 2021. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/21psd220311.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular, chronic, and prevalent disease, in which the most disabling symptom is intermittent claudication (IC), i.e., the pain in lower limbs during walking, constant and reproducible. PAD also increases the risk of other non-fatal cardiovascular events, increases mortality, and significantly decreases quality of life. Physical exercise is considered one of the first-line treatments, as it controls risk factors, is effective in increasing the mean walking distance without pain, is non- invasive, accessible, and low-cost. Forty people with PAD and IC participated in this study. Participants received a prescription for an exercise program (walking), and a behavioral change and motivational session. In this session, a qualitative behavioral change strategy was used to identify what motivates people to initiate the behavior. The objectives reported by the participants were mostly of extrinsic nature, although associated with their physical condition and health. The results emphasize the usefulness of a qualitative strategy supporting the standardized psychometric assessment instruments, to understand people's objectives and motives to adhere to a new behavior. While the content is fundamentally extrinsic, the truth is that most of our behaviors are initiated based on controlled, external motivations. The challenge lies in promoting the integration and internalization of extrinsic objectives and motives throughout the behavioral change process.

Keywords : Motivation; Behavioral change; Physical exercise; Walking; Peripheral arterial disease.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )