Showing papers by "Ralf Schwarzer published in 2006"

Action plans and coping plans for physical exercise: A longitudinal intervention study in cardiac rehabilitation.

Abstract: Objectives. The aim of the present study was to test two brief planning interventions designed to encourage cardiac patients to engage in regular physical exercise following discharge from rehabilitation. The interventions comprised action plans on (a) when, where, and how to act, and (b) coping plans on how to deal with anticipated barriers. Design and method. An experimental longitudinal trial was conducted to test two interventions that either focused on action planning alone, or on a combination of action planning and coping planning. A total of 21 I participants completed assessments at baseline and 2 months after discharge. Participants were randomly assigned to either one of the intervention groups or a standard-care control group. Results. Participants in the combined planning group did significantly more physical exercise 2 months post-discharge than those in the other groups. Conclusions. The theoretical distinction between action planning and coping planning as introduced in the present study has proven useful in explaining changes in health-related behaviour. The combined planning intervention can be applied in the context of cardiac rehabilitation programmes. 23 The adoption and maintenance of health behaviours such as physical exercise have been studied in terms of goal setting and goal pursuit. While the former reflects an initial motivation process, the latter refers to self-regulation when it comes to translating a health goal into action. In this second phase, planning has proven useful. The present study addresses this particular issue by experimentally inducing two kinds of planning, labelled action planning and coping planning for improving adherence with prescribed exercise recommendations in patients discharged from cardiac rehabilitation.

Adoption and maintenance of physical activity: Planning interventions in young, middle-aged, and older adults

Abstract: Young, middle-aged, and older adults in orthopaedic outpatient rehabilitation (N = 373) were randomly assigned to either an interviewer-assisted or a standard-care self-administered planning intervention. Physical activity planning consisted of specifying action plans to facilitate action initiation, and coping plans to overcome barriers. The interviewer-assisted condition led to more complete action plans and a longer duration of physical activities up to six months after discharge. Regarding coping planning, older and middle-aged adults benefited more from interviewer-assisted planning while younger adults benefited more from self-administered planning. Planning as such was found to be an effective tool for enactment irrespective of chronological age. The delayed effect of coping planning on enactment suggests that coping planning is important for long-term maintenance.

Improving fruit and vegetable consumption: a self-efficacy intervention compared with a combined self-efficacy and planning intervention

Abstract: Effects of interventions targeting self-efficacy alone or combined with action plans were examined in the context of fruit and vegetable consumption. E-mail messages were sent to a self-efficacy group, a combined self-efficacy and action planning group and a control group. At a 6-month follow-up, 200 adults reported their fruit and vegetable consumption, along with current levels of self-efficacy and planning. The two experimental groups gained equally from the interventions, as documented by changes in behavior. In both intervention groups, change in respective cognitions predicted change in fruit and vegetable consumption. Parsimonious interventions might contribute to health behavior change.

The role of action control in implementing intentions during the first weeks of behaviour change

Abstract: Prevailing social cognition models consider behavioural intentions as immediate precursors of actions. This view ignores the role of more proximal self-regulatory processes, such as action control. The latter emerges after an intention has been formed and is supposed to maintain the level of intentions over time and to translate them into action. Three facets of action control were examined in terms of their predictive power for changes in intentions and for physical exercise: (a) awareness of standards, (b) self-monitoring, and (c) self-regulatory effort. A parsimonious 6-item instrument was administered to 122 cardiac patients at six weekly measurement points in time following rehabilitation. A distinction was made between the level of action control and the degree of change in action control, applying a latent growth model. While awareness of standards remained stable, the other two facets exhibited a linear change over the six-week period. Level and change were distinct predictors of physical exercise and changes in intentions. These findings emphasize the importance of self-regulatory mechanisms in the first weeks of trying to overcome a sedentary lifestyle. Action control may be a promising construct to narrow the intention-behaviour gap.

Assessing attention control in goal pursuit: a component of dispositional self-regulation.

Abstract: We examined the psychometric properties of the Self-Regulation Scale (SRS; Schwarzer, Diehl, & Schmitz, 1999), a measure of attention control in goal pursuit, in 2 independent studies. Study 1 included young adults (N = 443), whereas Study 2 included young, middle-aged, and older adults (N = 330). In both studies, the SRS showed good internal consistency. In Study 1, the SRS also showed satisfactory test–retest reliability over a 6-week period. We found support for the criterion validity of the SRS in terms of positive correlations with measures of general and domain-specific self-efficacy, proactive coping, and positive affect and in terms of negative correlations with depressive symptoms and negative affect. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that attention control accounted for unique portions of variance in relevant outcome variables above and beyond measures of self-efficacy and proactive coping.

Stage-specific effects of an action control intervention on dental flossing

Abstract: Health behavior interventions may have different effects when targeting individuals at different stages of change. A ‘motivation’ stage, during which intentions are formed, has been distinguished from a ‘volition’ stage, implying that the latter requires self-regulatory effort in implementing and maintaining behavior. To test this stage assumption, an action control intervention (self-monitoring tool for dental flossing) matched to the volition stage and mismatched to the motivation stage was provided to 151 university students, with follow-up measures of action control and flossing after 2 and 6 weeks. Separate regression analyses for motivational and volitional participants indicated that only volitional participants benefited from the volitional intervention. This supports the usefulness of stage assumptions and the advantage of tailoring interventions to participants who reside either in the motivational or in the volitional stage.

Subjective Residual Life Expectancy in Health Self-Regulation

Abstract: Applying socioemotional selectivity theory to the domain of health, we examined the interplay of social-cognitive predictors of physical exercise in two groups of people who perceived their remaining lifetime as either expansive or limited (based on subjective longevity ratings). Individuals (N = 370) who were prescribed physical exercise were assessed at discharge from orthopedic rehabilitation as well as 6 and 12 months later. Multigroup structural equation modeling showed differences in latent means, interrelations of predictors, and amount of explained variance. Individuals who perceived their time as limited reported a less favorable profile on social-cognitive variables and less exercise goal attainment. We give first insights on how health self-regulation differs in these groups, and we discuss avenues for intervention based on socioemotional selectivity theory. In contrast to chronological age, subjective life expectancy can be targeted by intervention.

Reciprocal support provision: personality as a moderator?:

Abstract: In some cases, support provision can be predicted by the history of prior social exchange. Receiving may encourage providing. Moreover, personality dispositions may moderate the degree to which persons reciprocate support. Co-student dyads (N ¼ 43) facing an exam repeatedly reported their levels of received and provided support. Data revealed both direct and moderated reciprocal support provision. Actors’ receipt of emotional support predicted the subsequent change in actors’ provision of emotional support, indicating reciprocity. Also, more reciprocal emotional support provision was found in introverted and open individuals, whereas more reciprocal instrumental support provision was observed in introverts and less open individuals. Findings were partially validated when partner-provided support instead of actor-received support served as the predictor of later support provision. Copyright # 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Support provider's appraisal detection bias and the efficacy of received support in medical students preparing for an exam.

Abstract: Matching social support to the recipient's needs requires diagnostic sensitivity on the part of the provider. In particular, support needs to be responsive to the recipient's stress-related appraisals to be maximally effective. To assess the impact of bias in interpersonal stress assessment, medical students in 43 dyads reported on their own and each other's stress appraisals, social support, affect and performance during a 5-day preparation period culminating in a multiple choice examination. Less biased perceptions of loss appraisals by support providers within dyads were followed by support transactions associated with lower negative affect and better exam performance among recipients. More biased perceptions of threat appraisals were followed by increases in the recipients' negative affect. Results therefore suggest that support is more effective when the provider understands the recipient's concerns.

Selbstregulation und Gesundheit

Abstract: Selbstregulation ist ein zentrales theoretisches Konstrukt in der Gesundheitspsychologie. Der Weg von einem Risikoverhalten zu einem Gesundheitsverhalten ist ein steiniger Weg, und fast alle von uns erleben die eine oder andere Schwierigkeit im Prozess der Verhaltensanderung. Da geht es zunachst darum, die notige Motivation zu entwickeln. Gibt es Anreize, die es wert sind, verfolgt zu werden? Uberwiegen die Vorteile einer Verhaltensanderung die Nachteile? Trauen wir uns zu, die Aufgabe anzupacken? Wenn wir uns hinreichend motiviert haben, stellen sich neue Fragen. Wie setzen wir unsere gute Absicht in die Tat um? Warten wir auf eine gunstige Gelegenheit oder fuhren wir eine solche aktiv herbei? Wie wird man initiativ und wie uberwindet man seinen „inneren Schweinehund“? Wenn wir schlieslich in erwunschter Weise handeln, muss dies keineswegs einen stabilen Charakter haben. Es geht auf und ab, und es gibt Ruckschlage. Konnen wir uns davon erholen und wieder auf den Pfad der Tugend zuruckkehren? All dies ist Bestandteil unseres Alltagswissens.