Self-efficacy and health behaviour: A review

Self-efficacy is one’s perceived confidence to perform a specific behaviour. Self-efficacy theory is briefly outlined and applications of self-efficacy theory in research on exercise, diet, alcohol use, smoking, and illicit drug use are reviewed. These represent a selection of behaviours that need to be initiated or maintained (diet, exercise). controlled (alcohol use, diet) or avoided (smoking, illicit drug use) to promote or maintain health. To date most research has investigated individual health behaviours in isolation from others and it is suggested that the role of self-efficacy in changing or maintaining multiple health behaviours needs to be further investigated. The assessment of self-efficacy is discussed and the relationship between self-efficacy and other social psychological models is examined. Some constraints on self-efficacy theory in relation to health behaviours are considered. Available research evidence suggests that self-efficacy is a fundamental variable in understanding and predicting health behaviours.