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Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that apathy affects lowering of self-efficacy, while improving self-efficacy is useful for apathy improvement in home-care patients with Parkinsonâ��s disease (PD). However, there are no studies on the comparison of strength of impact and temporal precedence in this bidirectional causation. In this study, a bidirectional causal relationship model between self-efficacy and apathy in home-care patients with PD was created and it was used to examine the relationship based on structural equation modeling (SEM). Involving 122 home-care patients with PD (60 males and 62 females, mean age: 70.9�±7.8 years old), psychological factors were measured using the Apathy Scale and Self-Efficacy Scale, for which Morita, et al. verified the reliability and validity in Japanese home-care patients with PD. This study was conducted with the approval of the Research Ethics Committee of the Aomori University of Health and Welfare. As a result of analyzing causal relationships using SEM, the causal coefficient from apathy to self-efficacy was-0.48 and that from self-efficacy to apathy was -0.41. The results showed that the level of influence from self-efficacy to apathy and that from apathy to self-efficacy were almost the same. Both self-efficacy and apathy can be improved by providing interventions. Consequently, even in home-care patients with PD who exhibit symptoms of apathy, increasing their self-efficacy in advance may help overcome apathy in rehabilitation for them. Furthermore, it is suggested that improving their apathy in advance may also contribute to increasing their self-efficacy in rehabilitation for them.

Biography

Hiroaki Morita has completed his Master’s degree at Kobe University Graduate School. He is a Physical Therapist and an Assistant Professor at Department of Physical Therapy, Aomori University of Health and Welfare, Japan.
Email:hr08mori608@auhw.ac.jp