Psychological Resilience Moderates Autonomous Motivation After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Remote Walking Program.
Ya-Ching Chang, Hsin-Fang Tsai, Rui-Shan Shi et al.
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In 30 seconds
This single-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial tested a 12-week remotely delivered walking program against active health education in 73 adults with mild traumatic brain injury. Autonomous exercise motivation did not differ significantly between groups at either postintervention assessment. Baseline psychological resilience moderated the program’s effect on autonomous motivation (B = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01-0.08, P = .018), with higher resilience strengthening that effect. Controlled motivation increased in the intervention group at 6 months relative to baseline (B = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.13-1.97, P = .03); resilience did not differ between groups.
Key findings
- Autonomous motivation showed no significant average between-group difference at either postintervention assessment.
- Higher baseline resilience strengthened the program’s effect on autonomous motivation (B = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01-0.08, P = .018).
- Controlled motivation increased in the intervention group at 6 months relative to baseline (B = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.13-1.97, P = .03).
- No between-group difference was observed in psychological resilience.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that motivational responses to remote exercise support after mild traumatic brain injury may vary with baseline resilience, even when average autonomous motivation does not improve. This distinction may help frame rehabilitation research and assessment: overall program effects and differences between participants can tell different stories. The increase in controlled motivation also indicates that motivation outcomes should be considered separately.
What to keep in mind
The trial was single-center and included 73 participants; autonomous motivation was assessed only through 6 months after the intervention.