Prediction and Intervention in Health‐Related Behavior: A Meta‐Analytic Review of Protection Motivation Theory

Abstract

Protection motivation theory (PMT) was introduced by Rogers in 1975 and has since been widely adopted as a framework for the prediction of and intervention in health‐related behavior. However. PMT remains the only major cognitive model of behavior not to have been the subject of a meta‐analytic review. A quantitative review of PMT is important to assess its overall utility as a predictive model and to establish which of its variables would be most useful to address health‐education interventions. The present paper provides a comprehensive introduction to PMT and its application to health‐related behavior, together with a quantitative review of the applications of PMT to health‐related intentions and behavior. The associations between threat‐ and coping‐appraisal variables and intentions, and all components of the model and behavior were assessed both by meta‐analysis and by vote‐count procedures. Threat‐ and coping‐appraisal components of PMT were found to be useful in the prediction of health‐related intentions. The model was found to be useful in predicting concurrent behavior, but of less utility in predicting future behavior. The coping‐appraisal component of the model was found to have greater predictive validity than was the threat‐appraisal component. The main findings are discussed in relation to theory and research on social cognition models. The importance of the main findings to health education is also discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

Crossing two types of implementation intentions with a protection motivation intervention for the reduction of saturated fat intake: A randomized trial

“…Thus, even if one successfully changes a person"s intentions towards avoiding foods that are high in saturated fat (and this change is medium to large) one should expect a smaller change in actual behaviour. This is supported by evidence that manipulating Protection Motivation Theory variables has greater impact on intentions than behaviour (see Milne et al, 2000). In order to generate more pronounced behaviour change, intentions must be successfully translated into action.…”

“…This study used Protection Motivation Theory (Rogers, 1983) to help identify motivation as one source of the problem and to create a motivational message (for a review of interventions based on this theory, see Milne, Sheeran & Orbell, 2000) concerned with reducing saturated fat intake. However, improving motivation is not always sufficient to create large changes in behaviour (see Webb & Sheeran, 2006).…”

“…An individual"s appraisal of the threat and their evaluation of the recommended coping response influence one"s intention to engage in the precautionary behaviour. This theory was selected as it lends itself to simple, theoretically-framed message-based interventions that have been shown to be effective in changing intentions (see Milne et al, 2000, for a review).…”

The Effect of Weight Loss Program on Overweight and Obese Females Based on Protection Motivation Theory: A Randomized Control Trial

“…In a cross-sectional study by Baghianimoghaddam et al, both appraisals predicted protection motivation and threat appraisal was stronger (44); which was similar to the results of the current investigation. In a meta-analytic review conducted by Miler et al threat appraisal was highly augmented after intervention (45). According to the current study results, threat appraisal just resulted in decreased energy intake per day after six months that may likely posit the long term effect of MI.…”

Human Responses to Climate Change: Social Representation, Identity and Socio-psychological Action

“…Alarmist representations of climate change seem to jeopardise the self-efficacy principle of identity and lead to disempowerment of social actors (Milne, Sheeran & Orbell, 2000). Yet, self-efficacy seems to be important in the context of climate change (Breakwell, 2010).…”