Assessing the impact of self‐efficacy beliefs on adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis

This article examines the influence of self‐efficacy beliefs on problem‐solving coping, functional disability, and psychological well‐being for 101 recently diagnosed adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of psychosocial adaptation to the onset of RA. Self‐efficacy beliefs were associated with less functional disability assessed concurrently and 1 year later. Self‐efficacy beliefs were also associated with greater use of problem‐solving coping 1 year later. There was an interaction between pain and self‐efficacy beliefs in the prediction of depression 1 year later: at low pain, self‐efficacy beliefs were unrelated to depression, but at higher levels of pain, greater self‐efficacy was related to greater depression. Finally, problem‐solving coping mediated the relationship between disability and initial self‐efficacy beliefs. The distinct patterns that emerge for pain, self‐efficacy beliefs, and coping, with respect to functional status as compared to psychological status, are discussed.