Psychological Responses and Adherence to Exercise in Heart Failure

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe psychological effects and exercise adherence during a multicomponent exercise training intervention. Methods: A sample of 42 patients with heart failure were randomized into an exercise (INV) group (n = 22) and an attention control (AC) group (n = 20). The exercise protocol included two 12-week phases, a structured phase and a self-managed phase. The psychological responses assessed were mood states and exercise self-efficacy. To meet the second purpose of the study, the exercise group was dichotomized based on the number of sessions completed to create two adherence subgroups. Findings: Results indicate self-efficacy improved for the INV group and was maintained during the self-management phase. The adherence subgroups demonstrated different patterns for weekly exercise. Depression and confusion scores improved for the high-adherence group in contrast to worsening for the low-adherence group. Conclusions: Results suggest a need for further study of the psychological responses of exercise adherence for patients with heart failure. Clinical Relevance: The study indicates the importance of continuous assessment of exercise participation and longer term adherence support for patients with heart failure.