Measuring Self-Efficacy for Exercise among Older Adults: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of a Brief Version of the Self-Efficacy for Exercise (SEE) Scale.

(1) Background: Physical activity is known to promote health and psychological well-being in older adults, yet global inactivity rates in this population remain high. Among the factors associated with physical activity, self-efficacy for exercise represents a key predictor for developing effective interventions in older adults. This study aimed to validate the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale (SEE) in individuals over 65. (2) Methods: A sample of 726 older adults from the USA and Italy (51.1% females; age range = 65-95 years; Mage = 72.57, SDage = 6.49) completed the SEE, along with the Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ), the Big Five Inventory 2-Extra Short Form (BFI-2-XS), and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). (3) Results: The SEE showed a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.88 and a Composite Reliability of 0.89. Moreover, it demonstrated a unidimensional factor structure and good fit indices. Full measurement invariance was achieved across gender and age, while partial scalar invariance was found across countries, suggesting minor cultural differences. Correlation with the GSLTPAQ, the BFI-2-XS, and the SF-12 support the convergent and nomological validity of the SEE. (4) Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that the SEE is a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy for exercise among older adults and that the items are interpreted similarly across different ages, genders, and cultures.

Aging well in an aging society: physical health in older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults.

Introduction: Older sexual minority people meet a double stigma in our society related to their sexual identity and chronological age. The present study explores how experiences of discrimination and prejudice, coming out, and personal resiliency influence physical health of older lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. Methods: Respondents were recruited through online advertisements and an online-based survey. The sample included 82 Italian cisgender LGB adults over 65 years: young older adults (65-70 years; 78%) and old-old adults (over 71 years; 22%). Regarding sexual orientation, the sample was composed of sexual minority women (n = 30; 37%) and sexual minority men (n = 52; 63%). Results: ANOVAs' findings showed that sexual minority women described lower levels of physical health compared to sexual minority men. At the same time, old-old adults reported higher experiences of discrimination and prejudice compared to young older adults. Moreover, findings from hierarchical multiple regression analysis described that coming out, higher levels of personal resiliency, and fewer experiences of discrimination were predictors of physical health, regardless of age and sexual minority categories. Conclusion: These findings seem to align with previous studies that underline the relevance of investigating aging well in sexual minority people. Knowledge and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues are necessary for recognizing the unique needs and resources of older LGB people for promoting a healthy aging process.

Daily associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their relationships with subjective well-being in a sample of adult workers.

OBJECTIVES: The present pre-registered study examined the reciprocal day-to-day associations between global self-esteem and self-concept clarity and their incremental validity with respect to daily life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. METHODS: We used intensive longitudinal data from 153 adult workers (45.1% women), over a period of 31 days. Data were analyzed using dynamic structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Results attested higher global self-esteem and self-concept clarity mean levels for older vs. younger participants, and lower global self-esteem and self-concept clarity variability for older vs. younger participants. Furthermore, global self-esteem and self-concept clarity were correlated at a cross-sectional daily level, yet only self-concept clarity states positively predicted subsequent global self-esteem states, while global self-esteem states did not predict subsequent self-concept clarity states. Daily global self-esteem and daily self-concept clarity further predicted subsequent daily higher life satisfaction and positive affect, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings shed light on the short-term relationships linking global self-esteem and self-concept clarity, pointing to their discriminant validity in predicting individuals' subjective well-being.

Is the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire a Valid Measure in Older People?

BACKGROUND: Despite the widely recognized benefits of physical activity for preventing physical and cognitive decline during aging, global estimates indicate that most older adults do not achieve the recommended amount of physical activity due to a lack of motivation. The current research examined the validity and psychometric properties of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3) among older adults. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the BREQ-3 stands out as one of the most extensively utilized tools among exercise motivation studies. METHODS: A sample of older adults (N = 383; M age = 73.2 years, SD age = 7.2) completed the BREQ-3 and the Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ). RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the six-factor structure postulated by SDT, showing good fit indices (CFI= 0.95; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.04) and supporting the full measurement invariance of the scale across sex and age groups (65 to 74 years; over 75 years). The construct and criterion validity of the BREQ-3 was upheld through the latent correlations between its subscales and their correlations with the GSLTPAQ. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated for the first time the effectiveness of the BREQ-3 in assessing all forms of behavioral regulation proposed by SDT in older adults, suggesting that older adults similarly interpreted the items across sex and age groups.

Daily cortisol variations are predicted proximally by self-efficacy beliefs at work and indirectly by perceived self-regulatory abilities in managing negative emotions.

In the present ecological study, we analyzed the relations of a set of self-efficacy beliefs at work to parameters of diurnal cortisol variation. Specifically, using data collected during two consecutive working days from 166 workers, we tested a mediation model positing social and work-related self-efficacy beliefs as mediators of the relations between self-regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs in managing negative emotions and cortisol indicators. Results from the multilevel mediation analyses supported the proposed model for work-related self-efficacy, which resulted as a significant mediator of the relation between self-regulatory emotional self-efficacy beliefs in managing negative emotions and the overall cortisol daily production indexed by computing the area under the curve with respect to the ground. Findings suggest the importance of self-efficacy beliefs for workers' physiological adjustment. Theoretical and practical contributions of the findings are discussed.