Exercise Self-Efficacy and Geriatric Anxiety in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Geriatric anxiety is common among older adults and can negatively impact their well-being and daily activities. While physical and cognitive factors are often examined in geriatric assessments, psychological factors like exercise self-efficacy—confidence in one’s ability to participate in physical activity—may significantly affect anxiety levels. This study aimed to investigate whether exercise self-efficacy, functional capacity, and sarcopenia risk are each linked to geriatric anxiety.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 164 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and above, of both sexes. Anxiety was measured using the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). The independent variables consisted of age, Body Mass Index (BMI), exercise self-efficacy, and sarcopenia risk (SARC-F). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of anxiety.

Results: The regression model was statistically significant (F (4,159) = 6.059, p < 0.001) and explained 13.2% of the variance in geriatric anxiety (adjusted R² = 0.110). Exercise self-efficacy was the only significant independent predictor of anxiety (B = -0.137, β = -0.324, p < 0.001), showing that higher self-efficacy correlated with lower anxiety levels. BMI had a weak but significant link to anxiety (B = -0.065, β = -0.156, p = 0.044), while age (p = 0.133) and sarcopenia risk (p = 0.197) were not significant predictors.

Conclusions: Exercise self-efficacy was identified as the strongest independent predictor of geriatric anxiety, while age and sarcopenia risk did not significantly contribute in the adjusted model. These findings suggest that confidence in engaging in physical activity may matter more for anxiety in older adults than physical or demographic factors. Physiotherapists can help address geriatric anxiety by implementing exercise-based interventions that enhance exercise self-efficacy through goal setting, graded activity progression, and positive reinforcement strategies.