Psychological predictors of adherence and outcomes among patients in cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of optimism, depression, and neuroticism on adherence and outcomes among patients in cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Methods: Participants included 46 patients (34 men) with coronary heart disease (CHD) who completed measures of psychological functioning (optimism, depression, neuroticism), physical functioning (exercise stress test, body mass index, symptom reports), and CHD knowledge during the first week (baseline) and last week of a 12-week CR program.

Results: Baseline depression scores accounted for 9.