• S N Culos-Reed and L R Brawley.
• Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
• Arthritis Care Res. 2000 Dec 1; 13 (6): 343-51.

ObjectiveTo determine whether individuals with fibromyalgia (FM) who are more physically active differ in various psychosocial characteristics (i.e., self-efficacy, health-related quality of life [HRQL]) from those who are less active, and whether those who function better on a daily basis also differ in these characteristics from their less able counterparts.MethodsThe predominantly female sample (n = 86) consisted of individuals medically diagnosed with FM. Measures included symptom variables, physical activity frequency and intensity, daily functioning, HRQL, efficacy for physical activity, FM pain, and other FM symptoms.ResultsDiscriminant function analyses to predict physical activity status (P < 0.0001) and functional ability status (P = 0.03) were significant. The variables of physical activity efficacy, pain efficacy, and the physical HRQL component were the best predictors.ConclusionSupport for the importance of perceived control and HRQL for engaging in higher levels of physical activity and daily functioning was demonstrated. Future research must continue to examine psychosocial factors that affect patients' functioning with FM in order to enhance their well-being.

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