Determinants of exercise intention and behavior during and after phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation: An application of the theory of planned behavior

Objective: To evaluate the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a framework for understanding exercise motivation during and after Phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Design and Participants: Patients (57 men and 24 women) completed a TPB questionnaire that included attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and exercise intentions pre- and post-Phase 2 CR. Results: During Phase 2 CR, regression analyses indicated that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) explained 38% of the variance in exercise intention while intention explained 23% of the variance in exercise adherence. At postrehabilitation follow-up, attitudes, subjective norm, and PBC explained 51% of the variance in exercise intention while intention explained 23% of the variance in exercise adherence. Conclusion: The TPB is a useful framework for understanding exercise intentions and behavior both during and after Phase 2 CR.