PSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION OUTCOMES: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH

Abstract

The paper aims at reviewing the psychological predictors of outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs in the framework of an integrative approach.  It was a group of cardiac patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR) making an analysis on how psychological factors, such as depression, anxiety, stress, and coping strategies, influenced the outcome of the rehabilitation.  The results indicate that individuals who had higher levels of anxiety and depression recorded slow rates of recovery and high rates of readmission.  Furthermore, patients who employed positive coping strategies such as the use of social support and being actively involved in rehabilitation were found to have better treatment adherence and physical and psychological health outcomes.  The researchers were also able to find that self-efficacy was an effective predictor of physical and emotional recovery. On increased self-efficacy, there was improvement in the rehabilitation process.  Those findings demonstrate the significance of including psychological assessments and treatment in CR programs to enhance patient outcomes in general.