Latent change models of lifestyle in acute coronary syndrome patients: Are lifestyle changes associated with resilience changes?

This study aimed to examine the role of resilience resources in patients' lifestyle changes after the first Acute Coronary event. 275 Italian patients (84.0% men; mean age = 57.5, SD = 7.9) participated in a longitudinal study. Resilience resources (Self-esteem, Dispositional Optimism, Sense of Coherence – SOC, General and Disease-specific Self-efficacy), and lifestyles (diet, physical activity, and smoking) were assessed twice (at baseline and after 6 months). Path analysis using latent change models was performed to model the combined effect of levels and changes of the resilience resources over lifestyle changes. Patients with strong SOC at baseline were less prone to smoke and more prone to decrease smoking; enhancement in SOC was associated with a smoking decrease. High Disease-specific Self-efficacy at baseline was associated with an improvement in all lifestyles; enhancement in Disease-specific Self-efficacy predicted an increase in physical activity. Findings underline the need to design psychological interventions that promote patients' Disease-specific Self-efficacy and SOC.