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Physical Wellness, Health Care, and Personal Autonomy

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Human Autonomy in Cross-Cultural Context

Part of the book series: Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology ((CAPP,volume 1))

Abstract

In this chapter, we review the self-determination theory perspective and current empirical evidence linking personal autonomy with physical well-being within and across cultures. Physical well-being consists of physical health and health-related behaviors (e.g., tobacco use, nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence). It is our thesis that a clear understanding of the relation between autonomy and physical well-being is relevant for all cultures. First, as SDT predicts, evidence suggests that higher levels of personal autonomy universally result in better physical well-being. Second, recent developments in biomedical ethics and informed decision making have elevated respect for patient autonomy to be an explicit, highest level goal of health care. Together the empirical evidence and these ethical mandates foretell an increasing emphasis on the role of personal autonomy in the delivery of health care. Accordingly, in the current review we examine the literature for studies that report the quantitative relations between different measures of personal autonomy and physical health, and autonomy and health-related behaviors. Most studies occur within single cultures, and find a consistent, positive relation between personal autonomy, or its change, and physical health. We discuss these findings and their limitations. We also suggest how future research can more fully establish and explore the causal linkages between personal autonomy and physical well-being.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Although not strictly the same (“exercise” is typically considered a structured form of voluntary “physical activity”), we will use the terms “exercise” and “physical activity” indiscriminately in this text. In most studies we reviewed, subjects were measured as to their level of leisure time activity, often to improve health or fitness, or to control body weight (thus predominantly “exercise”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Center for Community Health, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 14607, USA

    Geoffrey C. Williams

  2. Faculty of Human Kinetics, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Pedro J. Teixeira & Eliana V. Carraça

  3. Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Ken Resnicow

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  4. Ken Resnicow
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Correspondence to Geoffrey C. Williams .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Campus Drive 9, Saskatoon, S7N 5A5, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Valery I. Chirkov

  2. Dept. Psychology,, Psychiatry & Education, University of Rochester, Rochester, 14627, New York, USA

    Richard M. Ryan

  3. Dept. Psychology, University of Missouri, McAlester Hall 112, Columbia, 65211, Missouri, USA

    Kennon M. Sheldon

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

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Williams, G.C., Teixeira, P.J., Carraça, E.V., Resnicow, K. (2011). Physical Wellness, Health Care, and Personal Autonomy. In: Chirkov, V., Ryan, R., Sheldon, K. (eds) Human Autonomy in Cross-Cultural Context. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9667-8_7

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