Self-efficacy and adherence to treatment: the mediating effects of social support

Abstract Treatment adherence is a key health behavior in chronic patients. This study investigates the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and adherence to treatment. The sample is composed of 202 chronic patients living in Spain. Stratified random sampling was used to select participants based on the variables age group and type of disease. As predicted, patient self-efficacy is associated with lower levels of nonadherence as well as greater perceived social support. The results show that self-efficacy has a significant direct effect and an indirect effect (through social support and satisfaction with support) on patient adherence, specifically regarding diet and exercise. This study contributes to understand the processes underlying increased levels of nonadherence to treatment in people with lower self-efficacy and less social support. The results are discussed in terms of their contribution to future intervention programs for improving adherence to treatment in chronic patient groups.