Social-cognitive antecedents of hand washing: Action control bridges the planning–behaviour gap

Fang

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

Objective: Hand washing and sleep hygiene are two important health behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to identify the motivational and volitional antecedents of college students' hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors based on an integrated model of behavior that combined social-cognition constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). Methods: Using a prospective design, college students (N = 1106) completed a survey assessing the motivational constructs of action self-efficacy, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behaviors of hand washing and sleep hygiene at Time 1. Demographic variables were also collected. One month later, at Time 2, college students (N = 524) self-reported on their volitional factors of maintenance self-efficacy, action planning, coping planning, and behaviors of hand washing and sleep hygiene. A further 2 months later, at Time 3, college students (N = 297) were asked to self-report on their hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors over the past month. Findings: Data were analyzed using variance-based structural equation modelling. Results showed significant direct effects of attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on intentions; significant direct effects of action self-efficacy on maintenance self-efficacy; and significant direct effects of maintenance self-efficacy on action planning and coping planning. Significant direct effects of intention on action planning (sleep hygiene only), and significant direct effects of intention, maintenance self-efficacy (hand washing only), action and coping planning on behavior were also observed. Action planning also moderated the intention-behavior relationship, but only for hand washing. There were also significant total indirect effects of action self-efficacy on behavior mediated by maintenance self-efficacy, action planning, and coping planning for both behaviors, and significant total indirect effects of subjective norm and perceived behavioral control on behavior mediated by intention for sleep hygiene. When past behavior was included in the integrated model predicting all the psychological variables and behavior, all of the structural relations were attenuated. Discussion: Current findings indicate that college students' hand washing and sleep hygiene behaviors are a function of both motivational and volitional factors. Findings also indicate that the TPB and HAPA pathways might differ for the two health behaviors. Implications of the current findings for future health interventions aimed at improving college students' hand washing and sleep hygiene are discussed.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Predicting Hand Washing and Sleep Hygiene Behaviors among College Students: Test of an Integrated Social-Cognition Model

Fang

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

“…This gap has been addressed through the recent integration of preparatory behaviors (Barz et al, 2016) and action control (Fernández et al, 2016). Preparatory behaviors are those formed a priori to the behavior, thus act as a sub-goal (Barz et al, 2016).…”

Section: Motivation and Volitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Preparatory behaviors are those formed a priori to the behavior, thus act as a sub-goal (Barz et al, 2016). Action control refers to the monitoring and evaluation of action with respect to the behavior (Fernández et al, 2016). Preparatory behaviors, like planning strategies, are prospective routes to change; whereas action control involves concurrent strategies.…”

Section: Motivation and Volitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implicit Processes, Self-Regulation, and Interventions for Behavior Change

Quinton

Brunton

2017

Front. Psychol.

The ability to regulate and subsequently change behavior is influenced by both reflective and implicit processes. Traditional theories have focused on conscious processes by highlighting the beliefs and intentions that influence decision making. However, their success in changing behavior has been modest with a gap between intention and behavior apparent. Dual-process models have been recently applied to health psychology; with numerous models incorporating implicit processes that influence behavior as well as the more common conscious processes. Such implicit processes are theorized to govern behavior non-consciously. The article provides a commentary on motivational and volitional processes and how interventions have combined to attempt an increase in positive health behaviors. Following this, non-conscious processes are discussed in terms of their theoretical underpinning. The article will then highlight how these processes have been measured and will then discuss the different ways that the non-conscious and conscious may interact. The development of interventions manipulating both processes may well prove crucial in successfully altering behavior.

“…Such plans to prevent possible lapses, coping planning, have been shown to be an important psychological determinant in the implementation of behavioural intentions, including in oral hygiene . However, planning alone is not always sufficient for behavioural initiation, with action control, a self‐monitoring of behaviour, being an essential element for putting those plans into practice . Planning is believed to function as a more distal volitional predictor, while action control is one that is more proximal to the behaviour .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In an intervention to stimulate action control, through the use of a diary to record floss usage, an increase in dental floss was observed . Some studies, not concerning oral hygiene, have gone farther, finding a relation between coping planning and action control sequentially mediating between intention and behaviour …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐regulation in oral hygiene behaviours in adults with gingivitis: The mediating role of coping planning and action control

Araújo

Alvarez

Godinho

et al. 2020

Int J Dental Hygiene

Aim: This study investigates the joint role of volitional predictors of oral hygiene behaviours of flossing and brushing in adults with gingivitis, framed by the Health Action Process Approach model (HAPA). Materials and Methods: In a longitudinal online survey, 201 participants aged 18-75, of which 56.7% were women, completed assessments at baseline(T1), 2 weeks(T2) and 4 months(T3). Oral hygiene behaviours(OH) (brushing and flossing) and social cognitive determinants of behaviour in the HAPA: action and maintenance selfefficacy(ASE & MSE), intention(INT), coping planning(CP) and action control(AC) were evaluated. Structural equation modelling was used to test a series of three nested models. In Model 1, action self-efficacy would determine MSE and INT, and INT would determine OH; in Model 2, INT would determine both CP and AC and the two OH behaviours; and in Model 3, CP and AC would be sequential mediators between INT and OH.Results: Model 3, predicting a mediating process from intention to behaviour via coping planning and action control, showed the best fit according to the fit indices and explained more of the variance in dental hygiene. The mediating role of coping planning and action control between intention and oral hygiene behaviours was thus confirmed. Importantly, coping planning did not mediate between intention and oral hygiene behaviours, which means that oral hygiene intention influences action control through coping planning, and both sequentially mediate this influence on behaviour. Conclusions: For individuals who are not yet following the recommendations for specific oral hygiene behaviours, coping planning and action control represent psychological mechanisms by which intentions are put into practice. K E Y W O R D S behavioural science, gingival health, oral hygiene, psychosocial determinants of oral health, self-regulation | 193 ARAÚJO et Al.