Investigating multiple components of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived control: an examination of the theory of planned behaviour in the exercise domain

Predicting physical activity behavior among university students using the multi-process action control framework

Most university students do not engage in enough physical activity (PA) despite the known physical and mental health benefits. Action control theories such as the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework have been proposed to better understand the translation of intentions into action by incorporating post-intentional processes. However, the explanatory power of the M-PAC framework beyond traditional social cognitive constructs has received limited attention. This study examined the predictive utility of the M-PAC framework for explaining variance in self-reported and device-measured PA behavior among university students. A total of 2418 undergraduate students (Mean age = 19.1 ± 1.73 [SD] years) completed an online survey that included a self-reported measure of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) as well as constructs outlined in the M-PAC framework: instrumental and affective attitudes, perceived capability and opportunity, behavioral regulation, habit and identity. A subsample (n = 376) also wore an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer on their non-dominant wrist for seven full days to assess MVPA. Robust linear regression models were computed to investigate associations between M-PAC framework constructs and PA behavior. Findings showed the M-PAC framework explained as high as 14.3 % and 37.9 % of the variance in device-measured and self-reported MVPA, respectively. Regulatory (behavioral regulation), and reflexive (habit and identity) processes were significant predictors of self-reported MVPA when examining the full M-PAC framework, whereas the role identity dimension of PA identity was the only significant predictor of device-assessed MVPA. Taken together, these results reinforce the importance of post-intentional processes, specifically role identity, in understanding PA behavior among university students.

Increasing physical activity among adults affected by COVID-19 social distancing restrictions: A feasibility trial of an online intervention

In response to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, digitally delivered health interventions present as a potential solution for maintaining or improving individuals' physical activity. This study explored the feasibility of a web-based intervention, informed by the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework to promote PA among individuals affected by social distancing. Fifty adults self-reporting as insufficiently active were randomized to a 6-week web-intervention (n = 27) or wait-list control (n = 23). Primary feasibility outcomes included recruitment and retention rates and usability and satisfaction scores; secondary outcomes of MVPA and M-PAC constructs and tertiary outcomes of mental health and wellbeing were also assessed. Overall, feasibility of the intervention was high, with a 96% recruitment rate, 84% retention rate, high satisfaction and usability scores, and comparable website usage to similar eHealth interventions. Intervention participants trended towards improved MVPA and M-PAC constructs and outcomes of mental health and wellbeing. Findings suggest study extension to a full-scale RCT.

"We are an active family": a randomized trial protocol to evaluate a family-system social identity intervention to promote child physical activity

BACKGROUND

Regular engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during childhood yields a myriad of health benefits, and contributes to sustained MVPA behaviors into adulthood. Given the influence of parents on shaping their child's MVPA behaviour, the family system represents a viable target for intervention. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of two intervention conditions designed to increase child MVPA: (1) A standard education + planning intervention providing information about benefits, action planning, and coping planning; and (2) An augmented physical activity education + planning intervention that includes the components of the standard intervention, as well as a focus on family identity promotion and developing as an active member of the family.

METHODS

A two-arm parallel single-blinded randomized trial will compare the two conditions over 6 months. Eligible families have at least one child aged 6-12 years who is not meeting the physical activity recommendations within the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (i.e.,<60 min/day of MVPA). Intervention materials targeting family identity promotion will be delivered online via zoom following baseline assessment, with booster sessions at 6-weeks and 3-months. Child MVPA will be measured by wGT3X-BT Actigraph accelerometry at baseline, 6-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months as the primary outcome. At these same time points, parent cognition (e.g., attitudes, perceived control, behavioral regulation, habit, identity) and support behaviours, and parent-child co-activity will be assessed via questionnaire as secondary outcomes. Child-health fitness measures will be also administered through fitness testing at baseline and 6-months as secondary outcomes. Finally, upon completion of the trial's 6-month measures, a follow-up end-of-trial interview will be conducted with parents to examine parents' experiences with the intervention.

RESULTS

So far, 30 families have been enrolled from the Southern Vancouver Island and Vancouver Lower Mainland area. Recruitment will be continuing through 2026 with a target of 148 families.

DISCUSSION

This study will contribute to the understanding of effective strategies to increase child physical activity by comparing two intervention approaches. Both provide parents with education on physical activity benefits, action planning, and coping planning supports. However, one intervention also incorporates components focused on promoting an active family identity and involving all family members in physical activity together. The findings from this study have the potential to inform the design and implementation of public health initiatives aimed at improving physical activity participation in children and guide the development of more effective interventions that leverage the crucial role of parents and the family system in shaping children's physical activity behaviors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The clinical trial registration ID is NCT05794789. This trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov on March 2nd, 2023, with the last updated release on September 28th, 2023.

Streamlining COM-B model: Insights from the Healthy Eating Context

The global rise in diet-related diseases highlights the urgent need for effective behavioural interventions. While theoretical frameworks like the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model are valuable for understanding and influencing healthy eating behaviours, their practical application is often hindered by complexity and extensive measurement demands. This study addresses these challenges by testing a simplified version of the COM-B model, focusing on a select set of items representing seven core constructs. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 347 Australian young adults to validate this streamlined model, making it more accessible for researchers and practitioners. Our findings underscore the importance of automatic motivation, the physical environment, and physical capability as critical factors in promoting healthy eating behaviours. By simplifying the COM-B model, this research contributes to developing more practical and effective strategies for healthier eating, addressing a critical public health issue.

Predictive Utility of the Multi-Process Action Control Framework for Self-Reported and Device-Measured Physical Activity Behavior of Adolescents

Understanding the correlates of physical activity behavior is imperative for informing the development of interventions to address the low rates of physical activity guideline adherence among adolescents living in the United States. This cross-sectional study examined the predictive utility of the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework for explaining self-reported and device-measured physical activity behavior among a Hispanic-majority sample of adolescents. A total of 1849 high school students (mean age = 16.0 ± 1.22 SD years; 52.3% women; 87.8% Hispanic) enrolled in one school district in south-central Texas completed a survey including instruments to assess M-PAC framework constructs (instrumental and affective attitudes, perceived capability and opportunity, behavioral regulation, habit, identity) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behavior. A subsample (n = 435) wore accelerometers for seven days. The results from robust linear regression models revealed role identity and habit were significant predictors of self-reported MVPA. Role identity was a significant predictor of accelerometer-derived daily MVPA and raw acceleration in the most active hour but not daily raw acceleration. The findings indicated reflexive processes are robust predictors of adolescent physical activity and should be the focus of interventions designed to promote adoption and maintenance of physical activity during this developmental life stage.

A web-based physical activity intervention targeting affect regulation: a randomized feasibility trial

Early career professionals (ECPs) are a critical target for physical activity (PA) promotion. Affect contributes to an established PA intention-behaviour gap and is pertinent among ECPs.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a web-based intervention and explore the effects on secondary outcomes (moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), emotion regulation, multi-process action control constructs).

METHODS

Adults aged 25-44 who were employed at least part-time in a desk-based job and not meeting PA guidelines (<150 min MVPA) were recruited and randomized into a 6-week online intervention integrating acceptance and commitment principles and affect regulation strategies, or a control group.

RESULTS

Forty adults were recruited and randomized to the web-based intervention (n = 21) and waitlist control (n = 19). The recruitment rate was 29%, retention was 75%, engagement was 68%, and satisfaction was high in both quantitative and qualitative assessment. Participants allocated to the intervention improved MVPA (ηp2=0.30), emotion regulation (ηp2 =0.49), behavioural regulation (ηp2=0.53), affective attitude (ηp2=0.23), identity (ηp2=0.24), and constructs of mindfulness (ηp2=0.44), and valued living (ηp2=0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Primary outcomes concerning feasibility were adequate and secondary outcomes improved, suggesting a full-scale randomized controlled trial is feasible with minor modifications. A large-scale study is warranted to establish intervention effectiveness.

Health literacy mediates the relationships of cognitive and physical functions with health-related quality of life in older adults

Background

Declining cognitive function (CF) and physical function (PF) relate to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older adults. As health literacy (HL) facilitates health information utilization, it may mediate links between functionality and HRQoL appraisals. This study examined HL as an intermediary between joint CF and PF contributions and HRQoL in Hong Kong older adults.

Methods

490 older adults aged 50-80 years completed assessments from March to July 2021. Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire Short Form 12 questions (HLS-SF12), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Senior Fitness Test (SFT) and 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2) were used to assess HL, CF, PF and HRQoL, respectively. Path analysis tested a model with HL mediating CF/PF predictors and HRQoL outcome.

Results

Results for direct effects indicated that CF significantly associated with PF (β = 0.115, SE = 0.012, p < 0.001), PF significantly connected to HL (β = 0.101, SE = 0.022, p < 0.001), and HL significantly related to HRQoL (β = 0.457, SE = 0.049, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, PF significantly linked to HRQoL directly (β = 0.156, SE = 0.025, p < 0.001) as well as indirectly (β = 0.046, 95% CI [0.028, 0.067]). Significant mediating effect of HL was found on the relationship of PF and HRQoL.

Conclusion

Findings confirm CF and PF joint impacts on HL and HRQoL in older adults, elucidating HL's mediating role in translating functionality levels into HRQoL. Fostering enduring health knowledge access may thus buffer effects of age-related declines on well-being. Results can inform interventions leveraging this pathway to promote resilient trajectories.

Prospective association of eHealth literacy and health literacy with physical activity among Chinese college students: a multiple mediation analysis

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has decreased physical activity (PA) while increasing demand for electronic health resources. eHealth literacy (EHL) is expected to aid eHealth use and health promotion. EHL was raised on the grounds of health literacy (HL). This study explored the associations among EHL, HL, and PA in Chinese college students and identified mediating mechanisms in the EHL/HL-PA relationship.

Methods

An integrated social-cognitive model was proposed. A total of 947 Chinese college students (52.8% women, age = 19.87 ± 1.68 years) completed the three-wave data collection. Path analysis was performed.

Results

An adequate good-to-fit model was indicated. Perceived EHL (PEHL) was significantly associated with perceived HL (PHL) and HL performance (HLP); PHL was negatively related to HLP; PEHL was significantly associated with self-efficacy (SE) and social support (SS); PHL had a significant effect on SS but not SE; HLP significantly affected SS but not SE; SS and SE positively predicted intention (INT), which then predicted PA. SS mediated PEHL/PHL-INT links; SE mediated the PEHL-INT link; SS and INT jointly mediated PEHL/PHL/HLP-PA; SE and INT jointly mediated PEHL-PA.

Conclusion

Relationships among EHL, HL, and PA were explored with multiple mediating mechanisms identified. Differential SE and SS roles in EHL/HL-PA links suggest new mechanisms to inform EHL/HL intervention development.

Understanding mHealth Adoption and Lifestyle Improvement: An Empirical Test of the Antecedents and Mediating Mechanisms

The potential of using mobile phones for health care service delivery has been well acknowledged. Despite that mobile health (mHealth) related research has proliferated in the past decade, mHealth is still in the fledgling stage with a low adoption rate. There is a research gap in understanding factors influencing mHealth adoption and examining the effects of mHealth use on health outcomes. The purpose of this study was thus to explore influential factors of mHealth use, and test mediation pathways through which mHealth use impacts healthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g. sleep, exercise, and social participation). Survey results from 432 online participants illustrate that performance expectancy, social influence, support conditions, and perceived reliability were significantly associated with mHealth use. However, the impact of effort expectancy on mHealth use was statistically nonsignificant. Moreover, the results indicate that mHealth use can not only contribute to the improvement of healthy lifestyle behaviors directly but also exert an impact through the mediating effect of health competence. Knowing what factors motivate people's mHealth use and how mHealth use contributes to lifestyle improvement can help trigger interventions to boost mHealth adoption and improve public health. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Factors affecting turnover intention of Nigerian employees: The moderation effect of organizational commitment

Examining turnover as a noteworthy concern for businesses irrespective of their scale, this research delves into the factors influencing the inclination of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises to depart from their current workplaces. Additionally, the study explores how organizational commitment moderates the connections between attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to leave. Methodology: Six hypotheses were formulated regarding the links between the components of the initial Theory of Planned Behavior and organizational commitment. Results: The outcomes from the partial least squares structural equation modeling indicated that the three primary predictors of the Theory of Planned Behavior have a substantial impact on turnover intention, with perceived behavioral control exerting the strongest influence. Additionally, the findings highlighted that the relationship between the Theory of Planned Behavior constructs and turnover intention is moderated by organizational commitment. Practical Implications and Originality: In this research, an expanded rendition of the Theory of Planned Behavior was employed to bring novel insights into the realm of organizational commitment among workers in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Does Cognitive Attitude Matter When Affective Attitude Is Negative in Physical Activity Behavior Change?

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the moderation effects of affective attitude on the effects of cognitive attitude and intention on leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Methods: A total of 2100 undergraduate students completed validated instruments measuring their affective and cognitive attitude, intention to do MVPA, and leisure-time MVPA. Hierarchical regression analyses and Hayes' Process program (model 1 and model 58) were used to address the research questions. Results: The results showed that affective attitude significantly moderated the effects of cognitive attitude on MVPA. It suggested that when affective attitude was negative, the effect of cognitive attitude on MVPA was not significant; when it was positive, the higher the value of affective attitude score, the larger the effects of cognitive attitude on MVPA. The results also showed that affective attitude significantly moderated the effect of intention on MVPA and the indirect effects of cognitive attitude on MVPA through intention. It suggested that the higher the value of the affective attitude, the larger the effects of intention on MVPA and the larger the indirect effects of cognitive attitude on MVPA through intention. Conclusions:These results indicate that the moderating role of affective attitude in behavior change is important and should be considered for future theory development on the relationship between attitude and behavior. Practically, it suggests that people's affective attitude should be first understood and addressed when designing PA promotion programs.

Payment Behavioral Response Mechanisms for All-Age Retrofitting of Older Communities: A Study among Chinese Residents

Intergenerational integration has given rise to a novel aging paradigm known as all-age communities, which is garnering international attention. In China, the aging population and the implementation of the three-child policy have resulted in increased demand for retirement and childcare services among residents in older neighborhoods. Consequently, there is a pressing need to retrofit these older neighborhoods to accommodate all-age living arrangements given the high demand they generate. Therefore, this study undertakes research interviews with residents and constructs an exploratory theoretical model rooted in established theory. To assess the significance of our model, we employ Smart PLS 3.0 based on 297 empirical data points. Our findings indicate that anxiety has a significant negative effect on payment behavior; objective perception, willingness to pay, and government assistance exert significant positive effects on payment behavior. By comprehensively analyzing the mechanisms underlying residents' payment behavior, this study provides valuable insights for the government for promoting the aging process within communities and formulating effective transformation policies.

Implementing a physiotherapy led cancer exercise programme in a National Cancer Centre: the FIXCAS study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the feasibility of implementing a 10-week exercise-based cancer rehabilitation programme in a national cancer centre.

DESIGN

A single-arm prospective feasibility study.

SETTING

An outpatient physiotherapy department.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty de-conditioned cancer survivors (<1 year post completion of treatment).

INTERVENTIONS

A 10-week programme of twice weekly group-based supervised exercise sessions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A mixed methods approach was used. The primary outcome of the study was feasibility, evaluated in terms of recruitment, adherence, attrition and stakeholder acceptance of the programme. Secondary outcomes examined the effect of the exercise intervention on physical function and quality of life measures.

RESULTS

Forty patients (age 60 (SD 10.6) years; n = 12 breast cancer, n = 11 lung cancer, n = 7 prostate cancer, n = 5 colorectal cancer, n = 5 other) participated. In total 82% (n = 33) participants completed the post-programme assessment. Deterioration of health and concerns over COVID-19 were the most common reasons for dropout (both n = 2). Adherence to both the supervised exercise classes and home exercise programme was high (78% and 94% respectively). No adverse events were recorded during the intervention or assessments. Qualitative feedback from stakeholders highlighted the acceptability of the programme as well as many perceived benefits of the exercise programme. Improvements in three quality of life sub-scales (physical function, role function and emotional function), physical activity levels and aerobic fitness levels were found post-intervention.

CONCLUSION

It appears feasible to offer a 10-week exercise programme to patients attending a national cancer centre, with adequate recruitment, retention and adherence rates and high acceptability among stakeholders. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.

Correlates of Physical Activity Participation among Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer: An Application of the Multi-Process Action Control Framework

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to test Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) processes as correlates of physical activity (PA) intention formation and translation (i.e., action control) in individuals diagnosed with cancer.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional survey, completed from July to November of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. PA and M-PAC processes were self-reported using the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire and questionnaires for reflective (instrumental/affective attitudes, perceived opportunity/capability), regulatory (e.g., goal-setting, planning), and reflexive processes (habit, identity). Separate hierarchical multinomial logistic regression models determined correlates of intention formation and action control.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 347; M_age= 48.2 ± 15.6) were primarily diagnosed with breast cancer (27.4%) and at a localized stage (85.0%). Most participants intended to perform PA (70.9%), yet only 50.4% met guidelines. Affective judgements (p < 0.001) and perceived capability (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with intention formation. Preliminary models indicated employment, affective judgements, perceived capability, and self-regulation to be significant (ps < 0.05) correlates of action control, but in the final model, only surgical treatment (p = 0.02) and PA identity (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with action control.

CONCLUSION

Reflective processes were associated with PA intention formation, while reflexive processes were associated with PA action control. Behavior change efforts for individuals diagnosed with cancer should extend beyond social-cognitive approaches to include regulatory and reflexive processes of PA behavior (i.e., PA identity).

Development and Validation of a Two-component Perceived Control Measure

BACKGROUND

Research indicates that perceived behavioral control (PBC) is an important determinant of behavior and that it is composed of perceived capability and opportunity. However, typical measurement of these constructs may be confounded with motivation and outcome expectations. Vignettes presented before questionnaire items may clarify construct meaning leading to precise measurement.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate measures of perceived capability and opportunity that parse these constructs from the influence of motivation and outcome expectations using vignettes.

METHODS

Study 1 collected feedback from experts (N = 9) about the initial measure. Study 2a explored internal consistency reliability and construct and discriminant validity of the revised measure using two independent samples (N = 683 and N = 727). Finally, using a prospective design, Study 2b (N = 1,410) investigated test-retest reliability, construct and discriminant validity at Time 2, and nomological validity.

RESULTS

After Study 1, the revised measure was tested in Studies 2a and 2b. Overall, the evidence suggests that the measure is optimal with four items for perceived capability and three for the perceived opportunity. The measure demonstrated strong internal consistency ( > 0.90) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] > .78). The measure also showed construct and discriminant validity by differentiating itself from behavioral intentions (i.e., motivation) and affective attitude (based on expected outcomes) (SRMR = 0.03; RMSEA = 0.06). It also demonstrated evidence of nomological validity as behavior 2 weeks later was predicted.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend researchers use this tool in future correlational and intervention studies to parse motivation and outcome expectations from perceived capability and opportunity measurement.

Predicting behavioral intentions for unsafe off-highway vehicle use

INTRODUCTION

Hundreds of adults are killed or injured each year while operating off-highway vehicles. Four common risk-taking behaviors were identified on off-highway vehicles in the literature and examined intention to engage in such behaviors within the context of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

METHOD

One hundred and sixty-one adults completed measures of experience on off-highway vehicles and injury exposure followed by a self-report created according to the predictive structure of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Behavioral intentions to engage in the four common injury risk behaviors on off-highway vehicles were predicted.

RESULTS

Similar to research on other risk behaviors, perceived behavioral control and attitudes emerged as consistently significant predictors. Subjective norms, the number of vehicles operated, and injury exposure showed varying relationships to the four injury risk behaviors. Results are discussed in the context of similar studies, intrapersonal predictors of injury risk behaviors, and with regard to implications for injury prevention efforts.

Impact of social influence on users' continuance intention toward sports and fitness applications

The purpose of this paper is to explore how social influence (SI), which is disaggregated into subjective norms (SN), social image (SIM), and social identity (SID), predicts perceived usefulness (PU), perceived pleasure (PP), and continuance intention (CI) toward sports and fitness applications. The underlying context is the socialization and gamification of exercise during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the theory of SI and the technology acceptance model, a theoretical framework was built where PU and PP mediate the influence of SI on CI, and proposed hypotheses were tested. The responses of 296 Keep users (a popular sports and fitness application in China) to a questionnaire survey were analyzed. SN and SIM were found to have significant positive effects on SID; SID has significant positive effects on PU and PP; both PU and PP have significant positive effects on the CI of users; SID and PU positively and significantly mediate the relationship between SN/SIM and CI; PU positively and significantly mediates the SID-CI relationship. However, the role of PP in mediating the influence of SI on CI is non-significant. This paper deepens the current understanding of the mechanisms that influence the relationship between SI and CI under the context of socialization and gamification services.

Psychometric Testing of Attitudes Toward Physical Activity Scale for Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Cancer

Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of pediatric cancer experience chronic health problems following treatment, many of which could be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. This report describes the development of the AYA Cancer Survivor Attitude (AYA-CSA) Scale, an attitudinal scale that is associated with physical activity in AYA survivors of pediatric cancer. Methods: AYA survivors (n = 100) completed a survey to evaluate their attitudes toward engagement in physical activity. Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis, correlation with physical activity intention and physical activity behavior, and prediction of physical activity, after adjusting for past physical activity, survivor age, gender, and family income. Results: Data demonstrated a single 6-item scale with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.82). Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with physical activity intention (r = 0.553, p < 0.001) and physical activity behavior (r = 0.489, p < 0.001). After controlling for past physical activity and demographic covariates, survivor age, attitude toward physical activity, and intention were significant predictors of physical activity, and the overall model (F(6, 77) = 7.722, p < 0.001) predicted 39.5% of the variability in physical activity. Conclusion: The AYA-CSA scale demonstrates good reliability and construct validity, most important of which was the ability to predict actual physical activity in AYA survivors of pediatric cancer. This reliable and valid measure is an important tool in the design of behavioral interventions to improve physical activity engagement in AYA survivors.

The utility of the integrated behavior change model as an extension of the theory of planned behavior

Introduction

There are several widely used theories of health behavior change, which mostly utilize the social cognitive approach. These theories tend to posit that intention is a direct predictor of behavior, do not include automatic influences on behavior, and propose a one-size-fits-all theory for both initiators and maintainers. However, the intention-behavior gap is a well-observed phenomenon, researchers have highlighted that both automatic and reflective factors promote behavioral engagement, and predictors of behavior have been shown to differ between initiators and maintainers-three issues that necessitate theory advancement. To that end, the present research compares the utility of the Integrated Behavior Change Model (IBCM) - a social cognitive model that includes automatic factors involved in behavioral engagement and a moderator of the intention-behavior gap - to its theoretical predecessor, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Further, the relevance of the IBCM factors for predicting exercise behavior is compared in initiators versus maintainers.

Method

Participants were 494 US undergraduates. Participants reported on variables from the IBCM (and TPB) at baseline and reported on their exercise behavior in two surveys at seven- and 14-days post-baseline.

Results

Findings supported the first hypothesis that the IBCM would be more relevant for initiators in comparison with maintainers, using structural equation modeling. Specifically, only the paths between intrinsic motivation and affective attitude, affective attitude and intention, and intention and behavior were reliably found for maintainers. For initiators, the aforementioned paths were also reliably supported and the additional following paths were also supported: intrinsic motivation and perceived behavioral control, perceived behavioral control and intention, and intention and action planning. However, results did not support the second hypothesis that the IBCM would predict significantly more variance in behavior than its theoretical predecessor, the TPB. Specifically, the addition of action planning, implicit attitude, implicit motivation, and the interaction between intention and action planning only predicted an additional 0.3% (p < 0:05) of the variance in exercise behavior above and beyond intention.

Conclusion

Results highlight the continued need for theoretical refinement in terms of delineating mechanisms of initiation and maintenance and the need for further development in terms of improving upon current predictions of behavior engagement and change.

Understanding Changes in Adolescent Physical Activity Behaviors and Cognitions Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Despite accumulating evidence that has found significant negative declines in physical activity (PA) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, little work has sought to understand how PA cognitions have changed during this period and in relation to behavior change during the pandemic. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the changes in adolescents' PA behaviors and cognitions associated with COVID-19 and prospective predictors of PA using the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework. Adolescents were recruited from a large school board and a total of 588 participants (M_age = 15.87 ± 0.43 years, 60% female) completed data collection in both Fall 2019 and 2020—prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed self-reported measures of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), participation in organized activities, and variables derived from the M-PAC framework. Mixed effects models were computed to examine longitudinal changes in MVPA and cognitions as well as whether cognitions prior to COVID-19 predict MVPA during COVID-19. A generalized estimating equations model was computed to examine longitudinal changes for participation in organized activities. Findings indicated that MVPA (B = −56.41, p < 0.01) and participation in organized activities (OR = 0.33, p < 0.01) significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Correspondingly, there were significant decreases in intentions (B = −0.34), identity (B = −0.19), and habit (B = −0.20), though there were increases in behavioral regulation (B = 0.18). No significant changes were found in affective attitudes, instrumental attitudes, perceived opportunity, and perceived capability. Among the baseline M-PAC cognitions, habit (B = 46.28) was the lone significant predictor of MVPA during COVID-19. Overall results suggest that adolescents' PA behaviors and cognitions were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with promising evidence that restrictions prompted adaptive utilization of behavioral regulation skills. Moreover, habit appears to play a salient role in predicting PA behaviors during uncertain times involving major life disruptions. These findings highlight the need to dedicate additional attention to PA promotion as COVID-19 moves toward an endemic phase, and that interventions targeting habit formation may be critical for helping adolescents better sustain healthy active lifestyles during major life changes.

Exploring the Interplay Between Message Format, Need for Cognition and Personal Relevance on Processing Messages About Physical Activity: a Two-Arm Randomized Experimental Trial

BACKGROUND

According to the Elaboration Likelihood Model, persuasion can occur via two different routes (the central route and peripheral route), with the route utilized dependent on factors associated with motivation and ability. This study aimed to explore the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) and perceived relevance on the processing of physical activity messages designed to persuade via either the central route or the peripheral route.

METHOD

Participants (N = 50) were randomized to receive messages optimized for central route processing or messages optimized for peripheral route processing. Eye-tracking devices were used to assess attention, which was the primary outcome. Message perceptions and the extent of persuasion (changes in physical activity determinants) were also assessed via self-report as secondary outcomes. Moderator effects were examined using interaction terms within mixed effects models and linear regression models.

RESULTS

There were no detected interactions between condition and NFC for any of the study outcomes (all ps > .05). Main effects of personal relevance were observed for some self-report outcomes, with increased relevance associated with better processing outcomes. An interaction between need for cognition and personal relevance was observed for perceived behavioral control (p = 0.002); greater relevance was associated with greater perceived behavioral control for those with a higher need for cognition.

CONCLUSION

Matching physical activity messages based on NFC may not increase intervention efficacy. Relevance of materials is associated with greater change in physical activity determinants and may be more so among those with a higher NFC.

Psychosocial determinants of leisure-time physical activity among adults in omdurman city, Sudan: Reasoned Action Approach

Objectives

The level of physical activity among adult in Sudan is low. The purpose of this study used the Reasoned Action Approach to investigate the psychosocial determinants of Leisure-Time Physical Activity Behaviour (LTPA) of Sudanese adults.

Study design

This was a cross-sectional study design among adults in Omdurman city in Sudan.

Methods

A 378 participants (229 male and 149 female) completed a questionnaire to identify intention, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control about LTPA and actual behaviour. The relationship between studied determinants were examined using different statistical methods.

Results

In all participants, 13% had at least 150 min of moderate-intensity LTPA per week. Analysis revealed that intentions (β = 0.26) along with perceived behaviour control (β = 0.19) predicted LTPA and accounted for 12% of the variance in LTPA behaviour. Attitude (β = 0.39), subjective norms (β = 0.18), and perceived Behaviour control (β = 0.11) were associated with intention to perform LTPA. They explained 22% of the variance in intentions.

Conclusion

consistent with RAA expectations, determinants of the intentions and LTPA behaviour were identified. Findings suggest interventions promoting LTPA in Sudanese adults should increase intention, create a positive attitude, build conducive social norms and raise the perception of control over the actual LTPA behaviour.

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Level of participation in leisure time physical activities among Sudanese adults is low.

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Attitude appears to be a strong predictor of intentions to perform leisure time physical activity.

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Actual leisure time physical activity associated with intentions and perceived behaviour control.

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Physical activity promotion interventions should address the psychosocial factors of leisure time physical activities.

Does dispositional self-control moderate the association between stress at work and physical activity after work? A real-life study with police officers

Background

Psychosocial stress is a major health threat in modern society. Short-term effects of stress on health behaviors have been identified as relevant processes. This article examines the moderating effect of dispositional self-control on the association between stress at work and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) after work.

Methods

In a sample of 153 police officers (103 men, 50 women, mean age = 39.3 ± 10.4 years), daily occupational stress and hours worked were assessed via ecological momentary assessment (smartphone-based single item) in real-life. Dispositional self-control was assessed via an online questionnaire, whereas physical activity was assessed via accelerometry. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to test main and interaction effects.

Results

Bivariate correlations showed that perceived stress at work was positively correlated with hours worked (r = 0.24, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.09, 0.39]), whereas a negative association was found with dispositional self-control (r = −0.27, p < 0.001, 95% CI [−0.41, −0.12]). After-work MVPA was neither associated with stress at work nor with dispositional self-control. The regression analysis yielded no significant interaction between stress at work and dispositional self-control on after-work MVPA.

Conclusion

Using a state-of-the-art ecological momentary assessment approach to assess feelings of stress in real-life, stress at work did not seem to impact after-work MVPA in police officers. More research is needed to establish whether this finding is specific to police officers or whether it can be generalized to other populations.

A distance-based, randomized controlled trial for reducing sedentary behavior among prostate cancer survivors: a study protocol

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer survivors (PCS) experience long-term side effects beyond treatment such as fatigue, depression and anxiety. Quality and engaging supportive care programs are needed to reduce these chronic and debilitating effects. Independent of physical activity (PA), high volumes of sedentary behavior (SB) are associated with chronic disease-related risk factors and poorer cancer-specific quality of life (QoL). Simultaneously increasing PA and decreasing SB may be an effective health promotion strategy. Given that PCS may face several barriers to engaging in supervised programs, there is a need to develop and assess the efficacy of interventions that employ distance-based approaches for behavior change. The primary aim of this study is to determine the effects of a 12-week intervention (Fitbit + behavioral counselling) vs. Fitbit-only control group in reducing SB among PCS. Secondary outcomes include light-intensity PA, QoL, motivational outcomes, and patient satisfaction.

METHODS

This two-armed, randomized controlled trial will recruit inactive PCS (stage I-IV) across Canada who self-report engaging in >8 hours/day of SB. Participants will be randomized to the intervention (n=60; Fitbit and behavioral support) or active control group (n=60; Fitbit-only). The intervention consists of the use of a Fitbit and a series of six behavioral support sessions (two group, four individual) to aid PCS in gradually replacing SB with light-intensity PA by increasing their daily step counts to 3,000 steps above their baseline values. The Fitbit-only control condition will receive a Fitbit and public health PA resources. The primary outcome is change in SB measured objectively using activPAL inclinometers. All secondary outcomes will be measured via self-report, except for PA which will be measuring using Fitbits. Data will be collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-month post-intervention.

DISCUSSION

Reducing SB and increasing light-intensity PA plays an important, yet often undervalued role in the health and well-being of PCS. This study will create a unique distance-based platform that can be used by clinical and community-based organizations as a low-cost, supportive care tool to improve health outcomes for PCS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05214937 . Registered January 28, 2022 Protocol version: v.1.

Explore to Learn

Explorative information systems behaviors are the ways in which individuals actively revise their usage and discover creative means of applying the system, extending the potentials of the system, and enhancing task performance. This study has developed a specific concept of explorative system behavior-explorative information technology (IT) learning-to describe users' post-training learning behavior-novel use. Adapting a herding lens, we study the individual and team-level triggers of explorative learning cognitions. The study tests the proposed cross-level model and collects data from 225 individuals who are divided into 51 teams. The results indicate that individuals tend to innovatively use a system through developed exploration cognitions in team settings as a response to examined herd behavior triggers. The study uncovered that members of cohesive teams and learners with high uncertainty perceptions are more likely to imitate the observed explorative learning behaviors of their peers and reproduce such behaviors in the long term.

Using Bodyweight as Resistance Can Be a Promising Avenue to Promote Interval Training: Enjoyment Comparisons to Treadmill-Based Protocols

Purpose: Even though multiple training methods appear to be effective to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, they also need to be perceived as tolerable or enjoyable by exercisers to maximize long-term behavioral maintenance. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to compare perceived enjoyment between whole-body interval training (SIT-WB), treadmill-based interval training (SIT-T) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). Method: Forty-one healthy adult men (age: 23.7 ± 0.7 years, height: 1.79 ± 0.01 m, body mass: 78.5 ± 1.7 kg; VO_2max: 46.7 ± 7.3 ml.kg^-1.min^-1) were randomly assigned to SIT-WB, SIT-T, or MICT and underwent 16 weeks of training (3x/w). SIT-WB and SIT-T completed eight 20 s bouts interspersed by 10 s passive recovery, differing as to the exercise mode performed (i.e., calisthenics exercises and treadmill running, respectively) whereas MICT participants ran for 30 min at an intensity below the second ventilatory threshold. Perceived enjoyment was assessed 10 min post-exercise at weeks 1, 5, 9, 13, and 16, using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. Results: Compliance was high (~90%) across all three training groups (p = .803). All training modes were rated as enjoyable and no significant within- (F_{(4, 152)} = 1.132, p = .344) or between-group (F_{(2, 38)} = 0.662, p = .521) differences were found during the intervention period. Conclusions: These results suggest that SIT-WB can be employed as an enjoyable low-cost alternative to traditional treadmill-based SIT and MICT for up to 16 weeks.

Application of the Multi-Process Action Control Model to Predict Physical Activity During Late Adolescence

The aim of this study was to apply the Multi-Process Action Control model to examine how the additions of regulatory and reflexive processes predict physical activity (PA) behaviors among adolescents. Our sample included 1,176 Grade 11 students (Mage = 15.85 ± 0.38) recruited from a large school board in Southern Ontario. Participants completed a questionnaire including measures of self-reported PA and PA cognitions derived from the Multi-Process Action Control model. Results found the reflective process explaining 16.5% of the variance in PA, with the additions of regulatory and reflexive processes significantly improving the explained variance by 5.1% and 8.2%, respectively. Final models revealed coping planning (estimate = 45.10, p = .047), identity (estimate = 55.82, p < .001), and habit (estimate = 64.07, p < .001) as significant predictors of PA. Findings reinforce the need for integrative models to better understand PA, with coping planning, habit formation, and development of an active identity to be salient targets for intervention during adolescence.

A multilevel analysis of ''Leave No Litter" (LNL) intention of Hong Kong hikers

Along the line that "Leave No Litter" (LNL) in protected areas is promoted globally, Hong Kong launched its LNL campaign in 2016. The success of the campaign is critically dependent on the compliance of the park visitors. Because behavioral intention is influenced by determinants of different domains, this study adopted a multilevel perspective to examine how demographic, psychological, and situational variables affected LNL intention using a voluntary response sample of 374 hikers in Hong Kong. The results indicated that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and preparedness were significant predictors of LNL intention, indicating the direct associations between them. Furthermore, preparedness mediated the effects of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on LNL intention. The findings of this paper may contribute to the body of knowledge on pro-environmental behavior of recreationists by providing a novel understanding of LNL intention of Hong Kong hikers. Furthermore, this study may cast light on the sustainable management of protected areas in Hong Kong as well as cities around the world.

Segmenting children’s active school travel behaviour: insights on caregivers’ perceived risks and social norms

Purpose

Active school travel (AST) programmes aim to change commuting behaviour to improve children's physical and mental health. However, very limited health education programmes for children use segmentation to create tailored solutions that understand the specific characteristics of each group of children and their caregivers in order to yield better results. The aim of this study is to use a statistical segmentation analysis (two-step cluster analysis) to gain insights on the examination of specific groups to design future health education interventions and campaigns that can improve children's health.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by the Ecological and Cognitive Active Commuting (ECAC) framework, a market segmentation analysis was performed. An online survey was designed to collect data from caregivers of children between 5 and 12 years attending school and responsible for taking the child to and/or from school in Victoria and Queensland, Australia. Using 3,082 responses collected from Australian caregivers of primary school children, a two-step cluster analysis was performed.

Findings

Analysis revealed the most important variables for group formation were previous child walking behaviour, distance from school and caregiver income. Perceived risk of the physical environment was the most important psychographic segmentation variable for group formation, followed by social norms. Four distinct groups with different characteristics were identified from the analysis.

Originality/value

This is the first study that applies the ECAC framework to perform market segmentation in the AST context. Results revealed four market segments that demand different tailored solutions. Findings shed light on how to better design AST interventions and campaigns to promote children's health using segmentation techniques.

Bridging Green Gaps: The Buying Intention of Energy Efficient Home Appliances and Moderation of Green Self-Identity

This study investigates the factors influencing the buying intention of energy-efficient home appliances in Bangladesh. It also develops a conceptual framework that integrates additional constructs with the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and borrows questions from past literature. Employing a convenience sampling technique, a total of 365 completed structured questionnaires were gathered from various super shops in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was thereafter used to analyze the data with the AMOS 21. The study established that environmental knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly affected the consumers’ buying intention of energy-efficient home appliances (EEHA). The result revealed a significant relationship between environmental concern, environmental knowledge, subjective norms, eco-labeling, and attitude towards buying. It also confirmed that the green self-identity moderates the existent relationship between the attitude and buying intention of energy-efficient home appliances, while environmental knowledge does not. The research advances numerous policy suggestions to managers or marketers, as well as future research directions.

Weight-Related Information Avoidance Prospectively Predicts Poorer Self-Monitoring and Engagement in a Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention

BACKGROUND

Self-monitoring is a key component of behavioral weight loss (BWL) interventions. Past research suggests that individuals may avoid self-monitoring in certain contexts (e.g., skipping self-weighing after higher-than-usual calorie intake). However, no studies have attempted to quantify individuals' inclination to avoid information about their weight control ("weight-related information avoidance"; WIA) or prospectively examined its implications for treatment engagement and outcomes in BWL programs.

PURPOSE

Characterize WIA using a validated questionnaire among adults enrolled in BWL treatment and examine whether WIA prospectively predicts self-monitoring adherence, session attendance, treatment discontinuation, or weight loss.

METHODS

Participants (N = 87; MBMI = 34.9 kg/m2, 83% female) completed a measure of WIA prior to starting a 12 week, group-based BWL intervention. Participants were given digital self-monitoring tools and instructed to self-monitor their food intake daily, physical activity daily, and body weight weekly (Weeks 1-10) and then daily (Weeks 11-12). Session attendance and treatment discontinuation were recorded. Weight was measured in-clinic pretreatment and posttreatment.

RESULTS

While mean WIA was low (M = 2.23, standard deviation [SD] = 0.95; potential scale range: 1-7), greater WIA predicted poorer attendance (r = -.23; p = .03) and poorer self-monitoring of physical activity (r = -.28; p = .009) and body weight (r = -.32; p = .003). WIA did not predict food monitoring (p = .08), treatment discontinuation (p = .09), or 12 week weight loss (p = .91).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater WIA, as assessed via a brief questionnaire, may place individuals at risk for poorer self-monitoring and treatment engagement during BWL. Further research on the implications of WIA in the context of weight management is warranted, including evaluation of correlates, moderators, and mechanisms of action of WIA.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03337139.

Exercise as a supportive care strategy in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy at a regional cancer centre: a survey of patients and clinicians

PURPOSE

To understand how frequently exercise is discussed and/or prescribed as a supportive care measure and the barriers and facilitators to exercise uptake for men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) at a regional cancer centre.

METHODS

An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at a regional cancer centre in three stages: (1) Retrospective chart review of men with prostate cancer undergoing ADT to identify the frequency of discussion and/or prescription of supportive care measures; (2) prospective patient survey exploring barriers and facilitators to exercise; and (3) prospective clinician survey exploring barriers, facilitators and awareness of exercise guidelines in men with prostate cancer.

RESULTS

Files of 100 men receiving ADT (mean age 73 years; mean ADT duration =12 months) in the medical oncology (n = 50) and radiation oncology (n = 50) clinics were reviewed. Exercise was discussed with 16% of patients and prescribed directly to 5%. Patient survey (n = 49). 44.2% of patients reported participating in exercise at a high level. Common barriers to exercise participation included fatigue (51.0%), cancer/treatment-related weakness (46.9%) and joint stiffness (44.9%). 36.7% of patients reported interest in a supervised exercise program. Clinician survey (n = 22). 36.4% identified one or more exercise guidelines, and 40.9% correctly identified national exercise guidelines. Clinicians reported low knowledge of referral pathways to a supervised exercise program (27.3%). Clinicians believe physiotherapists (95.5%) are most suited to exercise prescription and 72.7% stated that exercise counselling should be part of supportive care. Limited time (63.6%) and patient safety (59.1%) were the two most common barriers to discussing exercise with patients. Clinicians reported that only 21.9% of their patients asked about exercise. The most endorsed facilitators to increase exercise uptake were patient handouts (90.9%) and integration of exercise specialists into the clinical team (86.4%).

CONCLUSION

Despite a third of patient respondents indicating an interest in a supervised exercise program, only 16% of patients with prostate cancer undergoing ADT at a regional cancer centre engaged in a discussion about exercise with their treating clinicians. Physical limitations and fatigue were the greatest barriers for patients. Clinicians indicated a need for more clinician education and better integration of exercise specialists into clinical care. A tailored, integrated approach is needed to improve the uptake of exercise in men with prostate cancer.

Understanding Consumer Stockpiling during the COVID-19 Outbreak through the Theory of Planned Behavior

We use the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate determinants of stockpiling behavior during the COVID-19 lockdown. We analyzed 518 responses to an online survey and used Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM) techniques to estimate relationships between variables. Negative attitude (perceived barriers) and others’ behavior (descriptive social norms) were revealed as significant predictors for both intention to over-purchase and the actual stockpiling behavior. The lack of significance obtained for perceived behavioral control (PBC) is also an important result, strengthening the evidence that factors’ contribution to TPB’s predictive power is strongly context-dependent, respectively that PBC is less relevant in settings dominated by uncertainty. The lack of significance is especially compelling when stockpiling behavior is regarded as deviant conduct from effective consumption. Our findings expand the understanding on the applicability of TPB and offer informed practical suggestions for improving managerial strategies, public and private ones, during extreme events when self-regulation and cognitive control are expedient but hard to achieve.

Laying the Foundation for Pregnancy Physical Activity Profiling: A Framework for Providing Tailored Physical Activity Advice and Guidance to Pregnant Women

The aim of this study was to examine the predictive utility of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in explaining pregnant women’s physical activity (PA) intentions and behaviour and to scrutinise the role of past behaviour within this context. Pregnant women (n = 89) completed the pregnancy physical activity questionnaire (PPAQ) and newly developed TPB questionnaire on two separate occasions during their pregnancy. Analyses were carried out in relation to three scenarios. Firstly, when considering the original TPB, intention emerged as the strongest determinant of pregnant women’s PA behaviour. Secondly, controlling for past behaviour attenuated the influence of intention and perceived behavioural control on behaviour, with neither of the original variables providing a unique influence. Finally, the addition of past behaviour added significantly to the prediction of intention with the model as a whole, explaining 85% of the variance in pregnant women’s PA intention, and with past behaviour uniquely contributing 44.8% of the variance. Pregnancy physical activity profiling based on intention and behaviour status is subsequently introduced as a novel and practical framework. This provides healthcare professionals with the opportunity and structure to provide tailored advice and guidance to pregnant women, thereby facilitating engagement with PA throughout motherhood.

Exploring the Role of Common Model of Cognition in Designing Adaptive Coaching Interactions for Health Behavior Change

Our research aims to develop intelligent collaborative agents that are human-aware : They can model, learn, and reason about their human partner’s physiological, cognitive, and affective states. In this article, we study how adaptive coaching interactions can be designed to help people develop sustainable healthy behaviors. We leverage the common model of cognition (CMC) [31] as a framework for unifying several behavior change theories that are known to be useful in human–human coaching. We motivate a set of interactive system desiderata based on the CMC-based view of behavior change. Then, we propose PARCoach, an interactive system that addresses the desiderata. PARCoach helps a trainee pick a relevant health goal, set an implementation intention, and track their behavior. During this process, the trainee identifies a specific goal-directed behavior as well as the situational context in which they will perform it. PARCCoach uses this information to send notifications to the trainee, reminding them of their chosen behavior and the context. We report the results from a 4-week deployment with 60 participants. Our results support the CMC-based view of behavior change and demonstrate that the desiderata for proposed interactive system design is useful in producing behavior change.

Factors Affecting Voluntary Self-Isolation Behavior to Cope with a Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Colombia vs. Spain in Times of COVID-19

Global pandemics are not a new phenomenon. They have occurred at different points in time and can be of different scales. COVID-19 appeared in 2020 and its spread has reached more than 60 countries worldwide. This research aims to analyze voluntary self-isolation behavior used to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this study, we carried out sampling in Colombia and Spain, which share similar cultural characteristics but which have substantial social and economic differences. A multi-group model was used to test the application of the theory of planned behavior and the theory of reasoned action in order to analyze self-isolation behavior. The results show that there are differences in self-isolation behavior between both countries, especially with regard to attitudes towards self-isolation and volitional behavior.

Exercise and Physical Activity eHealth in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Effects on Motivations, Behavior Change Mechanisms, and Behavior

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this research were (1) to compare the levels of physical activity of eHealth users and non-users, (2) to determine the effects of these technologies on motivations, and (3) to establish the relationship that could exist between psychological constructs and physical activity behaviors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study involved 569 adults who responded to an online questionnaire during confinement in France. The questions assessed demographics, usage of eHealth for exercise and physical activity, and behavioral levels. The questionnaire also measured the constructs of Social Cognitive Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and automaticity facets toward eHealth for exercise and physical activity.

RESULTS

Participants who were users of eHealth for exercise and physical activity presented significantly higher levels of vigorous physical activity and total physical activity per week than non-users (p < 0.001). The chi-square test showed significant interactions between psychological constructs toward eHealth (i.e., self-efficacy, behavioral attitudes, intentions, and automaticity) and physical activity levels (all interactions were p < 0.05). Self-efficacy was significantly and negatively correlated with walking time per week. Concerning the automaticity facets, efficiency was positive and significantly correlated with vigorous physical activity levels per week (p < 0.05). Then, regressions analyses showed that self-efficacy and automaticity efficiency explained 5% of the variance of walking minutes per week (ß = -0.27, p < 0.01) and vigorous physical activity per week (ß = 0.20, p < 0.05), respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that people during confinement looked for ways to stay active through eHealth. However, we must put any technological solution into perspective. The eHealth offers possibilities to stay active, however its benefits and the psychological mechanisms affected by it remains to be demonstrated: eHealth could be adapted to each person and context.

Adoption of Energy-Efficient Home Appliances: Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior

This research applies an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) to empirically investigate consumers’ intentions in Pakistan to purchase energy-efficient appliances (EEAs). Most developing countries face energy crises. As a result, many countries consider EEAs to be part of the solution to energy-related problems and teach sustainable consumption behavior to consumers. Previous studies have neglected developing countries in this context, yet developing markets have great potential for EEA adoption. To understand EEA adoption, we incorporated such variables as warm glow benefits, utilitarian environmental benefits, normative beliefs, and moral obligations as antecedents to TPB variables. The moderating effect of eco-literacy between attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and purchase intention toward EEAs are also examined. Data was gathered through a survey questionnaire from 673 Pakistani consumers to empirically test the proposed hypotheses. The results reveal that utilitarian environmental benefits and warm glow benefits significantly influence attitudes toward EEAs. The findings also show a positive effect of normative beliefs on subjective norms. The interaction effect of eco-literacy positively influences the relationship between attitude and purchase intention, with similar results for subjective norms and purchase intention. However, no significant moderating effect of eco-literacy is found between PBC and purchase intention. Furthermore, we performed multi-group analysis to explore significant group differences by utilizing socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, education, and income. The results show significant group differences, with females’ purchasing behavior, younger consumers, and educated consumers being more readily influenced. Finally, insights for policymakers, suggestions and future directions are discussed.

The feasibility of implementing an exercise programme for deconditioned cancer survivors in a national cancer centre: FIXCAS Study

Introduction: As both the number of cancer survivors and the length of survival time are increasing, long-term health issues related to cancer and its treatment are becoming more prevalent. Research suggests that exercise can mitigate several negative health consequences in cancer survivors and improve physical function and quality of life. Multi-modal exercise interventions have been proposed as a cornerstone for survivorship care. However, studies evaluating exercise programmes within the Irish population are lacking. Purpose: To evaluate the introduction, implementation and acceptability of a multi-modal exercise rehabilitation programme for deconditioned cancer survivors in a real-world, standard practice setting. Methods and analysis: In this single-arm prospective feasibility study, cancer survivors (n=40) will undergo a 10-week multi-modal exercise programme. The study population will comprise of cancer survivors attending outpatient services in an Irish national cancer centre. Participants will be aged 18 or older and have completed treatment with curative intent. Feasibility will be evaluated in terms of recruitment, adherence and compliance to the programme. Secondary outcomes will examine physical function and quality of life measures. In addition, the acceptability of the programme will be assessed through stakeholder feedback. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval through the St. James's Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital Research and Ethics Committee is currently pending. The study results will be used to optimise the intervention content and may serve as the foundation for a larger definitive trial. Results will be disseminated through peer-review journals, congresses and relevant clinical groups. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04026659 (19/07/19).

Why Is It Hard to Fight Herding?

The ubiquity of information, in part a consequence of the fast growth of Internet technologies, provides individuals with previously unknown opportunities to acquire and share information about new technology products. We witness numerous situations where potential adopters observe the decisions (but not the reasoning) of others and imitate their adoption behaviors. This implies that herd behavior can lead to en mass adoption. However, individuals possessing different characteristics exhibit different degrees of herd behavior. The characteristics of a given technology must also fit with the requirements of the task(s) that a technology adopter wants to fulfill. It is important to understand these phenomena in the herding context because they can influence a technology's staying power. We examine how several different user and technology characteristics interact with the antecedents of herd behavior, observed popularity of prior adoption and perceived uncertainty, to predict one's individual propensity for imitation in technology adoption. We test our research model via an online experiment with 260 respondents. One key finding is that while prior research has not found uncertainty to have the expected effect on propensity to imitate, it does in fact have a significant effect when various individual difference and technology moderators are taken into account.

Parents and children active together: a randomized trial protocol examining motivational, regulatory, and habitual intervention approaches

BACKGROUND

Regular physical activity (PA) is associated with many health benefits during childhood, and tracks into desirable PA patterns and health profiles in adulthood. Interventions designed to support these behaviours among young children are critical. Family-based interventions focusing on parent-child activities together (i.e., co-activity) among preschool-aged children are warranted. Targeting parental support practices can increase the frequency of co-activity, however interventions must move beyond merely building intention and planning skills for successful maintenance. Interventions designed to increase co-activity habit strength may facilitate the sustainability and thus impact child PA. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of three intervention conditions designed to increase child PA through co-activity: a standard education condition (information about benefits), a planning (action planning, coping planning) + education condition and a habit (context-dependent repetition from prompts and cues) + planning +education condition.

METHODS/DESIGN

A longitudinal three-arm parallel design randomized trial will compare three conditions over six months. Families are eligible if they have at least one child between 3y and 5y that is not meeting 60mins/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The primary outcome (child MVPA) is assessed via accelerometry at baseline, six weeks, three months and six months (primary endpoint). Intervention materials targeting co-activity are delivered post baseline assessment, with booster sessions at six weeks and three months. Parental co-activity habit, parent-child co-activity and other behavioural constructs are also assessed via questionnaire at all measurement occasions. As tertiary outcomes, parental PA is measured via accelerometry and co-activity is measured via a Bluetooth-enabled proximity feature. A total of 106 families have been recruited thus far from the Greater Victoria region. The study is ongoing with a minimum target of 150 families and an anticipated recruitment completion date of August 2022.

DISCUSSION

This protocol describes the implementation of a randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of a habit formation group compared with a planning group and an education only group to increase child PA through targeting parent-child co-activity. This information could prove useful in informing public health initiatives to promote PA among families with preschool-aged children.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was prospectively registered on clinicaltrials.gov in February 2016, identifier NCT03055871 .

Information privacy behavior in the use of Facebook apps: A personality-based vulnerability assessment

The unauthorized use of personal information belonging to users of apps integrated with the Facebook platform affects millions of users. Crucially, although privacy concerns and awareness have increased, the use of these apps, and related privacy behaviors, remain largely unchanged. Given that such privacy behaviors are likely influenced by individuals' personality traits, it is imperative to better understand which personality traits make individuals more vulnerable to such unauthorized uses. We build on a recontextualized version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to evaluate the influence of the Big Five personality traits on attitudes toward Facebook privacy settings, social norms, and information privacy concerns (IPCs)—all within the context of Facebook app use. To evaluate this study's model, we analyzed 576 survey responses by way of partial least squares path modeling. Results indicate that highly extraverted individuals are particularly vulnerable to privacy violations (e.g., unauthorized use of personal information) because of their negative attitudes toward Facebook privacy settings. Our post hoc analysis uncovered interesting combinations of personality traits that make individuals particularly vulnerable to the unauthorized use of app-based information. In particular, the combination of extraversion and conscientiousness had a negative effect on individuals' attitude toward privacy settings. We also found a significant negative relationship between IPCs and intention to use Facebook apps. Finally, we found a positive relationship between social norms and intentions. Taken together, these results infer that individuals are likely to be influenced by their peers in the use of Facebook apps but that their intentions to use these apps declines as privacy concerns increase.

Methods and design for the ADAPT study: Application of integrateD Approaches to understanding Physical activity during the Transition to emerging adulthood

BACKGROUND

The overarching objective of the study is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the salient factors predicting changes in physical activity (PA) during adolescents' transition into emerging adulthood. Using the Multi-Process Action Control model as our guiding framework, we will examine how implicit and explicit psychological processes along with regulatory practices impact PA change during this major life transition. Additionally, we will use a real-time data capture method called Ecological Momentary Assessment to further investigate how environmental and contextual factors, and momentary psychosocial influences effect PA patterns across this dynamic life stage.

METHODS

The ADAPT study is a 4-year project comprised of two interrelated studies. Study I is a large prospective cohort study that will invite all grade 11 students across one large school board (a total of seven secondary schools) to participate by completing an online questionnaire. Using a cluster randomization approach, a subset of students from each school will be invited to participate in Study II, whereby participants will wear an accelerometer and complete Ecological Momentary Assessments 5 times a day over a 7-day study period. For both studies, following baseline assessments, there will be three annual follow-up assessments approximately 12 months apart.

DISCUSSION

The current study represents one of the largest longitudinal cohort studies examining PA and its determinants and associated consequences among adolescents transitioning out of high school into emerging adulthood. Findings from this study will provide a much more in-depth understanding of how and why changes in PA behaviour occur across this first major life transition.

Affective Outcomes of Group versus Lone Green Exercise Participation

'Green exercise' (being physically active within a natural environment) research has examined the influence of environmental setting on health and wellbeing-related exercise outcomes. However, it is not known whether social exercise settings influence green exercise-associated changes in mood, self-esteem, and connection to nature. This study directly compared outcomes of participating in green exercise alone compared to in a group. Using repeated measures, counterbalanced and randomized-crossover design, participants (n = 40) completed two 3 km runs around sports fields. These fields had a relatively flat grass terrain, predominant view of trees, and open grassland. On one occasion participants ran alone and on the other they ran in a group of 4-5 participants. Questionnaire measures of mood, self-esteem, and connection to nature were completed immediately pre- and post-run. Across all of the measures, two-way mixed ANOVAs found that there were statistically significant effects for time but not for time-by-condition interactions. The simplest interpretation of this finding is that social setting does not influence individuals' attainment of the psychological outcomes of green exercise participation. However, we discuss the possibility that more complex processes might underpin this finding.

Landholder typologies illuminate pathways for social change in a deforestation hotspot

Psychosocial factors determine individual and collective behaviours, and there is growing evidence of their influence on land management behaviours. Native vegetation management encompasses biophysical, economic, political, and cultural dimensions that are immensely complex, and a more thorough understanding of the personal and cultural dimensions of deforestation activity is required. We emphasise this interdisciplinary imperative using Queensland, Australia, as an exemplar case study, where the controversial Vegetation Management Act1999 has been met with significant scrutiny over its effects on private landholders and its ability to curb deforestation behaviours. We surveyed landholders across Queensland in order to identify different landholder typologies based upon (1) their recent tree clearing behaviours and (2) their psychosocial characteristics, mapped their distribution in the landscape, and determined the unique demographic and psychosocial factors associated with typology membership. We identified a heterogeneous mosaic of landholders in the clearing landscape, composed of four clearing typologies and five psychosocial typologies. Social norms, identity, trust, and security played crucial roles in distinguishing different types of landholders. The two most contrasting clearing typologies-active and inactive clearers-were primarily located in hot- and cold-spots of deforestation, respectively; in contrast, most psychosocial typologies could be found throughout the landscape, highlighting the potential benefit of complementing generalised state-wide psychosocial targets with localised behavioural targets. We discuss how conservation policy instruments can be regionally tailored, and relevant strategies for effective communication and engagement can be developed to create behaviour change by understanding the characteristics and distribution of these types of landholders. If modified top-down efforts (e.g. strategic messages, community-based communication) can be supplemented with more bottom-up approaches (e.g. collective learning, building network support), sustainable land management in deforestation hotspots around the world may be achievable.

Willingness to Self-Isolate When Facing a Pandemic Risk: Model, Empirical Test, and Policy Recommendations

Infected people are isolated to minimize the spread of pandemic diseases. Therefore, the factors related to self-isolation (SI) should not be neglected, and it is important to investigate the factors leading the infected (or possibly infected) people to choose to self-isolate. In this paper, we tried to show that the theory of planned behavior provides a useful conceptual framework for SI when facing a pandemic risk, and a regression method with Chinese provincial (Guangdong Province) data was applied to investigate how attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) influence SI when facing a pandemic emergency. The results and the robustness tests confirm that ATT, SN, and PBC have a significant positive influence on SI when facing a pandemic emergency. ATT plays the most important role, followed by SN and then PBC. Based on the factors of SI, we found, through theoretical and empirical analyses, at least three important aspects that local governments need to consider to encourage citizens to self-isolate when facing a pandemic.