Objectives: To examine the impact of telephone reinforcement (TR) on predictors of physical activity (PA) maintenance in older adults with osteoarthritis.
Methods: Mixed effects modeling was conducted of data from a randomized PA trial that used negotiated maintenance contracts, supplemented by TR, to test impact of TR on barriers, decisional balance, and stage of change at multiple points in time.
Results: Participants who were referred to a PA program and received TR improved the most in barriers and decisional balance. Participants who negotiated a tailored maintenance contract but did not receive TR improved the most in stage.
Conclusions: TR appears to positively affect perceptions around engagement, whereas negotiation positively impacts PA behavior. Further research should examine the effectiveness of specific PA maintenance strategies.