Utility of temporal self‐regulation theory in health and social behaviours: A meta‐analysis

Comparison of approach/avoidance intentions for alcohol and vegetable consumption under a temporal self-regulation theory framework

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the differences between the framing of intention (approach vs. avoidance) and the type of self-regulatory capacity (planning vs. inhibition) to predict two behaviours (alcohol vs. vegetable consumption). Interaction effects between temporal self-regulation theory constructs were also explored.

METHODS

UK participants were recruited online (N = 254) and completed measures of intention (approach and avoidance), self-regulatory capacity (planning and inhibition), and behavioural prepotency (habit) related to alcohol and vegetable consumption. One week later, consumption was assessed.

RESULTS

Habit strength and approach-intentions consistently predicted consumption across each model for both behaviours. There was mixed support for avoidance-intentions and self-regulatory capacity variables in predicting consumption. Planning was more important in vegetable consumption than in alcohol consumption, and avoidance-intentions were only predictive in alcohol consumption. Inhibition was not significant for either behaviour. The interaction between approach-intention and planning was the only significant moderation detected and was only present in vegetable consumption.

CONCLUSION

The framing of intentions and the sub-facet of self-regulatory capacity are important to consider when attempting to explain health behaviours. Furthermore, theoretically defined moderation between temporal self-regulation theory variables might also depend on the type of behaviour and specific measured used to capture self-regulatory capacity.

Exercise preference in stroke survivors: a concept analysis

Background

Exercise preference in stroke survivors is related to their adherence to long-term rehabilitation regimen and functional recovery. Although explored recently, the term exercise preference still lacks a clear definition.

Objective

The aim of this study is to conceptualize exercise preference in stroke survivors.

Methods

The Walker and Avant method was applied as a framework for the conceptual analysis of exercise preference. Data from 34 publications were collected using seven databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and CBM) and applied in the analysis. The search period was from the inception of the database to April 30, 2023.

Results

Exercise preference in stroke survivors was defined according to four attributes: priority of choice, behavioral tendency, affective priming, and patience in adherence. The common antecedents of the concept of exercise preference in stroke survivors were classified into patient-related, therapy-related, and environmental-related categories and the consequences were classified into three categories: patient-related, rehabilitation provider-related, and rehabilitation service system-related.

Conclusion

Exercise preference in stroke survivors refers to the patient's choice, tendency, affective response, and attitude toward engagement in the recommended rehabilitation regimen. It is beneficial for understanding the essential attributes of exercise preference in stroke survivors by clarifying the concept. In addition, it will facilitate the development of instruments for assessing exercise preference in stroke survivors and the construction of theory-based intervention programs that can improve adherence to exercise rehabilitation.

Can counter-advertising dilute marketing effects of alcohol sponsorship of elite sport: A field experiment

AIMS

To test whether showing spectators counter-advertisements exposing alcohol harms alone, or exposing alcohol harms and alcohol sponsorship, before watching an alcohol-sponsored sporting event promotes less favourable post-event attitudes and intentions towards alcohol sponsor brands and alcohol in general.

DESIGN

On-line between-subjects experiment.

SETTING

Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

A sample of Australian adults aged 18-49 years who planned to watch an alcohol-sponsored National Rugby League (NRL) State of Origin series game was recruited through an online panel.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomly assigned to one of three counter-advertising conditions: control (neutral advertisement); counter-advertisement exposing alcohol harms; and counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms, to view at least four times during the week before watching the alcohol-sponsored sporting event.

MEASUREMENTS

Participants (n = 1932) completed a pre-test questionnaire a week before the sporting event. Within 4 days of watching the sporting event, participants completed post-test measures assessing sponsor brand awareness, attitudes and preferences towards the brand, as well as knowledge, attitudes and intentions for alcohol in general (n = 1075).

FINDINGS

Compared with the control advertisement, the counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms promoted higher (6-13%) awareness of sponsor brands, less favourable attitudes towards sponsor brands and drinking beer, lower purchase intentions for sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.15, 0.31, 0.27, respectively) and perceived less image-based similarity and fit between the sporting event and sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.20 and 0.56). Both counter-advertisements promoted lower perceptions of the appropriateness of consuming alcohol while watching sport (Cohen's d = 0.22 and 0.34), higher awareness of alcohol harms (6-34%) and higher intentions (8-13%) to reduce alcohol consumption than the control advertisement.

CONCLUSIONS

At alcohol-sponsored sporting events, counter-advertisements addressing alcohol harms may promote knowledge of harms and intentions to drink less. Counter-advertisements that additionally expose and critique alcohol sponsorship may detract from perceptions of sponsor brand image and intentions to purchase the sponsor's products.

Engineering Virtuous health habits using Emotion and Neurocognition: Flexibility for Lifestyle Optimization and Weight management (EVEN FLOW)

Interventions to preserve functional independence in older adults are critically needed to optimize 'successful aging' among the large and increasing population of older adults in the United States. For most aging adults, the management of chronic diseases is the most common and impactful risk factor for loss of functional independence. Chronic disease management inherently involves the learning and adaptation of new behaviors, such as adopting or modifying physical activity habits and managing weight. Despite the importance of chronic disease management in older adults, vanishingly few individuals optimally manage their health behavior in the service of chronic disease stabilization to preserve functional independence. Contemporary conceptual models of chronic disease management and health habit theory suggest that this lack of optimal management may result from an underappreciated distinction within the health behavior literature: the behavioral domains critical for initiation of new behaviors (Initiation Phase) are largely distinct from those that facilitate their maintenance (Maintenance Phase). Psychological factors, particularly experiential acceptance and trait levels of openness are critical to engagement with new health behaviors, willingness to make difficult lifestyle changes, and the ability to tolerate aversive affective responses in the process. Cognitive factors, particularly executive function, are critical to learning new skills, using them effectively across different areas of life and contextual demands, and updating of skills to facilitate behavioral maintenance. Emerging data therefore suggests that individuals with greater executive function are better able to sustain behavior changes, which in turn protects against cognitive decline. In addition, social and structural supports of behavior change serve a critical buffering role across phases of behavior change. The present review attempts to address these gaps by proposing a novel biobehavioral intervention framework that incorporates both individual-level and social support system-level variables for the purpose of treatment tailoring. Our intervention framework triangulates on the central importance of self-regulatory functioning, proposing that both cognitive and psychological mechanisms ultimately influence an individuals' ability to engage in different aspects of self-management (individual level) in the service of maintaining independence. Importantly, the proposed linkages of cognitive and affective functioning align with emerging individual difference frameworks, suggesting that lower levels of cognitive and/or psychological flexibility represent an intermediate phenotype of risk. Individuals exhibiting self-regulatory lapses either due to the inability to regulate their emotional responses or due to the presence of executive functioning impairments are therefore the most likely to require assistance to preserve functional independence. In addition, these vulnerabilities will be more easily observable for individuals requiring greater complexity of self-management behavioral demands (e.g. complexity of medication regimen) and/or with lesser social support. Our proposed framework also intuits several distinct intervention pathways based on the profile of self-regulatory behaviors: we propose that individuals with intact affect regulation and impaired executive function will preferentially respond to 'top-down' training approaches (e.g., strategy and process work). Individuals with intact executive function and impaired affect regulation will respond to 'bottom-up' approaches (e.g., graded exposure). And individuals with impairments in both may require treatments targeting caregiving or structural supports, particularly in the context of elevated behavioral demands.

Predicting discretionary food consumption using temporal self-regulation theory and food reward sensitivity

Discretionary foods account for over a third of the average adult's total daily energy intake. But its excess consumption is a risk factor for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other diet-related diseases. This study aimed to use temporal self-regulation theory (intention, past behaviour, habit, self-regulatory capacity) and food reward sensitivity to identify predictors of discretionary food consumption. Two hundred and seventy-three participants aged between 18 and 80 (M = 42.55, SD = 17.07) comprising of mostly females (79.5%) and those residing in Australia (93.4%), completed a two-part online survey, one week apart. Participants completed measures of intention, past behaviour, habit, self-regulatory capacity, food reward sensitivity and demographic information at time one, and discretionary food consumption at time two. Data was analysed using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis. All variables in combination accounted for a significant 40.3% of the variance in discretionary food consumption (R2 = 0.40, p < .001). However, past behaviour and intention were the only unique significant predictors of discretionary food consumption. No significant moderation effects found. Findings offer insight into the motivators of discretionary food consumption, which can inform the development of effective interventions to reduce discretionary food consumption. Past behaviour should be considered, and intention targeted in interventions to reduce discretionary food consumption.