What are the most effective techniques for changing self-efficacy to promote physical activity: A meta analysis?

Background: Increasing self-efficacy is an effective method to increase physical activity. Despite this, there are no systematic reviews which identify the most effective techniques to increase self-efficacy in physical activity interventions by examining how they are associated with self-efficacy changes. This meta-analysis aims to fill this gap by systematically gathering intervention studies which aimed to increase self-efficacy for physical activity. Methods: A search of three electronic databases identified 27 distinct lifestyle and recreational physical activity intervention studies. Meta-analysis was used to quantity the impact of the interventions on physical activity self-efficacy. Moderator analyses were conducted to examine the association of changes in self-efficacy with whether or not specific intervention techniques were included. Findings: The most frequent intervention techniques utilised were mastery experience, self-monitoring, persuasion and goal setting. A minority of studies included vicarious experience or feedback techniques. Despite this, interventions that included feedback and vicarious experience produced the highest levels of self-efficacy found in this review (p