This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of activities of daily living(ADU) and its influencing factors in patients with chronic arthritis. The data were obtained from 104 patients with chronic arthritis in one university hospital from May to August. 2000. For analysing data. SAS program was used for t-test. ANOVA, Schefte test. Pearson correlation. and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows: 1. The variables which influenced self-efficacy were duration of disease. number of painful joint, quality of sleep and alcohol drinking. 2. The variables which influenced fatigue were diagnosis and number of painful joint. 3. The variables which influenced ADL were age. duration of disease. diagnosis. number of painful joint. number of exercise and alcohol drinking. 4. ADL was positive correlation with self-efficacy and negative correlation with fatigue. And self-efficacy was negative correlation with fatigue. 5. The predictors to explain ADL were self-efficacy. number of painful joint. lupus. duration of disease and religion. These predictors explained $66.01\%$ of the activites of daily living. According to these findings. the most significant influencing factor of ADL was self-efficacy. therefore the development of nursing intervention for enhancing self-efficacy would be needed. Also. it is suggested that an exercise program should be recommended as one of useful and appropriate nursing intervention for reducing fatigue and increasing ADL.