Beyond single behaviour theory: Adding cross-behaviour cognitions to the health action process approach.

OBJECTIVES Commonly, health behaviour theories have been applied to single behaviours, giving insights into specific behaviours but providing little knowledge on how individuals pursue an overall healthy lifestyle. In the context of diet and physical activity, we investigated the extent to which cross-behaviour cognitions, namely transfer cognitions and compensatory health beliefs, contribute to single behaviour theory. DESIGN A total of 767 participants from two European regions (i.e., Germany n = 351, southern Europe n = 416) completed online questionnaires on physical activity and healthy dietary behaviour, behaviour-specific cognitions (i.e., self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, risk perception, intention, action planning, action control), as well as cross-behaviour cognitions, namely transfer cognitions and compensatory health beliefs. METHODS Nested path models were specified to investigate the importance of cross-behaviour cognitions over and above behaviour-specific predictors of physical activity and healthy nutrition. RESULTS Across both health behaviours, transfer cognitions were positively associated with intention and self-regulatory strategies. Compensatory health beliefs were negatively associated with intention. Action planning and action control mediated the effect of intentions on behaviour. CONCLUSIONS Cross-behaviour cognitions contribute to single behaviour theory and may explain how individuals regulate more than one health behaviour. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Cross-behaviour cognitions are related to a healthy lifestyle. Compensatory health beliefs hinder the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. Transfer cognitions encourage the engagement in a healthy lifestyle. What does this study add? Transfer cognitions were positively associated with intentions, action planning, and action control over and above behaviour-specific cognitions. Compensatory health beliefs were related to intentions only. Both facilitating and debilitating cross-behaviour cognitions need to be studied within a unified multiple behaviour research framework.

[1]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  Cross-behavior associations and multiple health behavior change: A longitudinal study on physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake , 2015, Journal of health psychology.

[2]  B. Wansink,et al.  Exercise and Food Compensation: Exploring Diet-Related Beliefs and Behaviors of Regular Exercisers , 2015, Journal of physical activity & health.

[3]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  Will is not enough: coping planning and action control as mediators in the prediction of fruit and vegetable intake. , 2014, British journal of health psychology.

[4]  S. Orbell,et al.  Trait Versus State , 2014 .

[5]  Thomas J. Dunn,et al.  From alpha to omega: a practical solution to the pervasive problem of internal consistency estimation. , 2014, British journal of psychology.

[6]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  ‘Sticking to a healthy diet is easier for me when I exercise regularly’: Cognitive transfer between physical exercise and healthy nutrition , 2014, Psychology & health.

[7]  C. Armitage,et al.  Are diet-specific compensatory health beliefs predictive of dieting intentions and behaviour? , 2014, Appetite.

[8]  U. Scholz,et al.  Predicting physical activity in adolescents: The role of compensatory health beliefs within the Health Action Process Approach , 2014, Psychology & health.

[9]  Martin S. Hagger,et al.  Implementation intention and action planning interventions in health contexts: state of the research and proposals for the way forward. , 2014, Applied psychology. Health and well-being.

[10]  D. Johnston,et al.  Goal conflict and goal facilitation as predictors of daily accelerometer-assessed physical activity. , 2013, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[11]  L. Brawley,et al.  Concurrent self-regulatory efficacy as a mediator of the goal: Exercise behaviour relationship , 2013, Journal of health psychology.

[12]  C. Armitage,et al.  A further look into compensatory health beliefs: a think aloud study. , 2013, British journal of health psychology.

[13]  U. Scholz,et al.  Smoking is ok as long as I eat healthily: Compensatory Health Beliefs and their role for intentions and smoking within the Health Action Process Approach , 2012, Psychology & health.

[14]  C. Armitage,et al.  Testing compensatory health beliefs in a UK population , 2012, Psychology & health.

[15]  I. Steenhuis,et al.  ‘I don't have to go to the gym because I ate very healthy today’: the development of a scale to assess diet-related compensatory health beliefs , 2012, Public Health Nutrition.

[16]  R. Vallerand,et al.  Motivation and goal attainment. The role of compensatory beliefs , 2012, Appetite.

[17]  Bärbel Knäuper,et al.  Compensatory beliefs and intentions contribute to the prediction of caloric intake in dieters , 2011, Appetite.

[18]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  Intervention effects of exercise self-regulation on physical exercise and eating fruits and vegetables: a longitudinal study in orthopedic and cardiac rehabilitation. , 2011, Preventive medicine.

[19]  Dolores Corella,et al.  A short screener is valid for assessing Mediterranean diet adherence among older Spanish men and women. , 2011, The Journal of nutrition.

[20]  J. Prochaska,et al.  A Review of Multiple Health Behavior Change Interventions for Primary Prevention , 2011, American journal of lifestyle medicine.

[21]  S. Lippke,et al.  Health-Promoting and Health-Risk Behaviors: Theory-Driven Analyses of Multiple Health Behavior Change in Three International Samples , 2011, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

[22]  B. Knäuper,et al.  Temptations elicit compensatory intentions , 2010, Appetite.

[23]  Ralf Schwarzer,et al.  Modelando el cambio en el comportamiento de salud: Cómo predecir y modificar la adopción y el mantenimiento de comportamientos de salud/Modeling Health Behavior Change: How to Predict and Modify the Adoption and Maintenance of Health Behaviors , 2009 .

[24]  C. Nigg,et al.  Gateway Health Behaviors in College Students: Investigating Transfer and Compensation Effects , 2009, Journal of American college health : J of ACH.

[25]  Chris M. Blanchard,et al.  Do sedentary motives adversely affect physical activity? Adding cross-behavioural cognitions to the theory of planned behaviour , 2008, Psychology & health.

[26]  R. Schwarzer,et al.  Bridging the intention–behaviour gap: Planning, self-efficacy, and action control in the adoption and maintenance of physical exercise , 2005 .

[27]  Bärbel Knäuper,et al.  Compensatory health beliefs: scale development and psychometric properties , 2004 .

[28]  A. Christensen,et al.  Assessment of irrational health beliefs: relation to health practices and medical regimen adherence. , 1999, Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association.

[29]  S. Lippke.  MODELLING AND SUPPORTING COMPLEX BEHAVIOR CHANGE RELATED TO OBESITY AND DIABETES PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT WITH THE COMPENSATORY CARRY-OVER ACTION MODEL , 2014 .

[30]  Susan M. Barnett,et al.  When and where do we apply what we learn? A taxonomy for far transfer. , 2002, Psychological bulletin.