Predicting adherence to exercise-based therapy in rehabilitation.

Objective: to determine whether the theory of planned behavior (TPB) would predict adherence to exercise-based therapy and whether perceived symptom changes during therapy would add to the prediction of adherence. : prospective observational study. : 106 women and 44 men undertaking rehabilitation for dizziness. : the TPB predictors were assessed with a structured interview at baseline and at 3 months after the beginning of therapy. Symptoms provoked by the exercises were measured at baseline, at the initial therapy session, and at 1 week and 3 weeks after the beginning of therapy. : both pretreatment and posttreatment intentions were related to adherence. Symptom perceptions independently predicted adherence. : the findings suggest that interventions to improve adherence could be based on the TPB, but symptom experiences during treatment also need to be taken into account in such interventions