Predictor of Self-efficacy in Individuals with Chronic Disease: Stress-coping Strategies

Aims And Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between stress-coping strategies of individuals with chronic diseases and their self-efficacy.

Background: Self-efficacy and coping with stress in chronic diseases affect the course of the disease.

Design: The sample of this methodological study consisted of 178 patients who were hospitalised in a university hospital between November 2017 and November 2018.

Methods: Data were collected by the face-to-face interview method using a Patient Information Form, Stress-Coping Styles Scale and Self-Efficacy Scale. This study followed STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies.

Results: The study found that there was a strong relationship between patients' coping strategies and their self-efficacies and that the variables that predict self-efficacy in order of importance were self-confident approach (β = .41), the helpless approach (β = -0.24) and the submissive approach (β = -0.15), respectively. The study also found that the optimistic approach and the seeking social support approach had no significant contribution to the model.

Conclusions: The most important predictor of self-efficacy in individuals with chronic disease was the self-confident approach, which was one of the problem-oriented coping strategies. Therefore, patients should be taught to use effective methods to cope with stress to increase their self-efficacy, and their self-confidence should be supported.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: In individuals with chronic disease, self-efficacy has an important role to get better psycho-social adaptation. To determine patients' self-efficacy levels and predictors will guide nursing initiatives.