Foster a 'Can Do' Spirit to Fight MS

Do you believe you have the power and skills to complete tasks and accomplish specific goals? If so, you have a high level of self-efficacy. People with high self-efficacy may be said to have a “can do” spirit.

Self-efficacy can be influenced by past experience, peer pressure, and physiological factors. Self-efficacy can also influence behavioral choices (e.g., avoiding tasks when belief in our ability is low, or choosing to undertake tasks when self-efficacy is high), affect motivation (e.g., people with high self-efficacy are more likely to persist in order to accomplish a task, whereas people with low self-efficacy might be discouraged and give up sooner), and affect thought patterns and responses (e.g., low self-efficacy can make you think a task is more difficult than it actually is, which leads to poor planning and increased stress).

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that can erode one's independence and lead to lower self-efficacy. MS is often associated with significant reduction in physical activity, which also correlates with lower self-efficacy. Conversely, higher self-efficacy has a positive effect on physical activity and correlates with higher health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and lower rates of depression.

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Build Confidence and Foster a ‘Can Do’ Spirit to Fight MS