Cronical diseases, the major cause of disability among the elderly, are of greater interest because it is influenced by medical, social and psychological factors. The aim of this review is to show the relevance of self-efficacy belief as a protective or mediator mechanism in the adjustment of disable elderly people. Researches show that the higher the self-efficacy beliefs, the lower the disability, the psychological distress, the depressive symptoms, the decrease in daily life basic and instrumental activities; and the higher the perceived health, the pain adjustment, the effort made in required activities, the adjustment and the capacity of personal coping.
Self-efficacy; Functional incapacity; Elderly