Participation in an employee fitness program: determinants of high adherence, low adherence, and dropout.

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study of the determinants of adherence level in an employee fitness program. Of all 236 employees who started participating in the program the determinants of level of participation (high adherence, low adherence, and dropouts) during the program were studied by means of a pretest and posttest design. The questionnaire was based on different theoretical concepts. The determinants measured included the attitude toward an employee fitness program, self-efficacy expectation, and social support. The results show that there were no differences in determinants between the groups at the start of the program. During the second measurement the high- and low-adherence groups were most convinced of the benefits of participation in the program. The low-adherence group and the dropouts were least convinced of their ability to participate in a fitness program. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.