Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 63-69, January 2007

Perceived Control is a Concurrent Predictor of Activity Limitations in Patients With Chronic Idiopathic Axonal Polyneuropathy

  • Carin Schröder, PT, MSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Sections of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Department of Physiotherapy Research, Academy of Health Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Carin Schröder, PT, MSc, Dept of Physiotherapy Research, Academy of Health Sciences Utrecht, Huispostnr F00810, Postbox 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
    • ,
  • Marie Johnston, PhD

      Affiliations

    • School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
    • ,
  • Laurien Teunissen, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology, St Antonius Hospital Nieuwegein, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
    • Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Nicolette Notermans, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Neuromuscular Disease, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • ,
  • Paul Helders, MSc, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Paediatric Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology, Wilhelmina’s Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
    • ,
  • Nico van Meeteren, PT, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Sections of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Department of Physiotherapy Research, Academy of Health Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Abstract 

Schröder C, Johnston M, Teunissen L, Notermans N, Helders P, van Meeteren N. Perceived control is a concurrent predictor of activity limitations in patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy.

Objectives

To investigate (1) whether control perceptions (person’s perception of ease or difficulty of performing behavior) and emotions contribute to activity limitations and if so (2) whether these variables mediate the relation between impairment and activity limitations in patients with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Outpatient clinics of a university medical center.

Participants

Fifty-six patients diagnosed with CIAP.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Control perceptions about performing activities (questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior), emotions (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), activity limitations (performance: Shuttle Walk Test [SWT]; self-report: Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36] physical functioning subscale, self-reported ability to walk), and physical impairments (muscle strength, sensory function).

Results

Control perceptions significantly (P<.01) correlated with all measures of activity limitations (r range, .58−.69). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that perceived control explained 9% of the variance in the SWT (β=.34, P<.01), 12% in the SF-36 (β=.40, P<.01), and 24% in ability to walk (β=.54, P<.01). In all measures of activity limitations, perceived control significantly mediated the effect of impairment.

Conclusions

Perceived control explained and mediated variance in activity limitations, whereas emotions did not. This suggests that increasing patients’ perceptions of control might enhance performance of activities, even without changes in impairment.

Key Words: Disabled persons, Emotions, Motivation, Polyneuropathies, Rehabilitation

 

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(06)01432-8

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.10.024

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 63-69, January 2007

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