Effect of psychiatric nurses' counseling on exercise behavior in individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders: A transtheoretical model-based randomized controlled trial

Objectives: Insufficient physical activity, which is one of the unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, is more common in individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. This experimental study aimed to examine the effect of psychiatric nurses’ counseling role on improving exercise behavior in individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders through the TTM framework. Methods: This randomized controlled trial, with pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessments, included 61 patients from a community mental health center (intervention, n=30; control, n=31). The study data were collected using the “Information Form”, “Exercise Change Stages Scale”, “Exercise Processes of Change Scale”, “Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale”, and “Exercise Decisional Balance Scale”. Results: The proportion of participants in the "preparation" phase after the intervention increased (n=15, 48.4%) in the intervention group, while the rate of participants in the "preparation" phase remained the same in the control group (n=8, 26.7%). The intervention group showed increases in the “Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale” and “Exercise Decisional Balance Scale” pros scores from baseline to post-intervention, with these gains persisting at follow-up. As a result, it was observed that the counseling role of psychiatric nurses through the Transtheoretical Model was effective in improving exercise behavior and physical health conditions of individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: The counseling role of psychiatric nurses based on the Transtheoretical Model has been found to be effective in improving exercise behavior among individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, thereby reducing risks associated with physical illnesses. Additionally, the findings suggest that Transtheoretical Model-based counseling can be effectively utilized in the independent practices of psychiatric nurses, thereby strengthening their counseling role.