Co-regulation in the context of physical activity: Inter-relations among social control and self-efficacy in couples

Abstract

Background: Given the well-known health benefits of regular physical activity and that many adults live in romantic relationships, the question arises whether couples can successfully regulate each other’s physical activity via social exchange processes such as social control and how this regulative behaviour relates to their physical activity-specific self-efficacy. Both self-efficacy and social control were shown to predict couples’ behaviour change, but little is known to date about how these perdictors inter-relate over time. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate dyadic inter-relationships among physical activity specific-self-efficacy and social control within couples. Methods: Within an RCT aimed to improve heterosexual couples’ physical activity, data of 114 couples (18-80 years old) from the control group were used in this study. Participants reported on their provided social control to partners and their self-efficacy (both physical activity-specific) at baseline and 2 weeks later. Findings: Dyadic multilevel analyses based on the actor-partner interdependence model revealed positive associations between female partners’ own previously provided social control and their self-efficacy (actor-effect). Furthermore, male partners’ provided social control was also positively related to subsequent changes in female partners’ self-efficacy (partner-effect). Male partners’ self-efficacy was neither related to their own nor to female partners’ previously provided social control. Discussion: Our results suggest possible gender differences in the relationship between physical activity-specific social control and self-efficacy. Whereas female partners may benefit from the receipt as well as the provision of social control regarding their own self-efficacy, this seems not to be the case for the male partners.