Associations Between Risk Avoidance in Physical Activity and Self-Efficacy in Midlife: A Survey

This is a Masters student research project. Rationale: This study aims to explore how adults aged 40–60 think about risk avoidance and their confidence in being physically active. Most previous research has focused on adults over 65, so this study will help fill an important gap. The findings will improve understanding of psychological factors that influence physical activity in midlife. Aim:To examine the associations between risk avoidance during physical activity and self-efficacy among midlife people. Study Design: This study integrates both quantitative and qualitative study, allowing quantitative data to reveal the statistical association between self-efficacy and risk avoidance while qualitative insights help explain the underlying experiences. A cross-sectional study: A cross-sectional design is appropriate as the study aims to explore relationships rather than infer causality, and collecting all data at a single time point is feasible, low-cost, and ethically low risk for midlife participants. Setting and Participants :The study will be conducted using an online platform (MS forms), allowing participants to complete the survey on either a mobile phone or a computer. The target population consists of adults aged 40 to 60 years, who are able to read and understand English in order to complete the survey independently. Inclusion criteria: 1.Adults 40 to 60 years old. and 2.Able to understand English and complete the survey and provide online inform consent. Exclusion criteria: Individuals who have been advised by a healthcare professional to restrict their physical activity. Outcomes and analysis; The primary analysis will examine the association between exercise self-efficacy (SEE) and risk-avoidance (TSK-11).Quantitative analysis will be conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 29). Prior to analysis, the dataset will be screened for missing values, outliers, and normality assumptions.The normality of continuous variables will be assessed in SPSS. If both variables meet normality assumptions, a Pearson correlation will be conducted.If normality assumptions are violated, a non-parametric Spearman’s rho correlation will be used instead. Correlation analysis is appropriate because the study aims to explore relationships between continuous psychosocial variables in a cross-sectional dataset without inferring causality. SPSS is selected for its reliability, accessibility, and suitability for psychological and health-related survey data. Qualitative data will be collected through open-ended questions embedded within the survey to capture participants’ subjective experiences of risk avoidance and physical activity during midlife. Responses will be analyzed using thematic analysis, following an inductive approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to identify recurring patterns and themes. This approach will provide context to the quantitative findings and ensure a more nuanced understanding of midlife behavioral patterns. A sample size of 34 is required for the primary analysis and allowing for 15% incomplete data, the target response is from 40 participants.