Predicting school students' physical activity intentions in leisure-time and school recess contexts: Testing an integrated model based on self-determination theory and theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Identifying psychological correlates of children's physical activity intentions may signpost potentially modifiable targets for interventions aimed at promoting physical activity participation. School recess and leisure-time outside of school are appropriate contexts in which such interventions may be delivered. However, few studies have identified correlates of physical activity intentions in these environments. Examining correlates in these contexts may provide formative evidence on which to base interventions to promote physical activity. PURPOSE: The current study adopted an integrated theoretical model to test relations between motivational constructs from self-determination theory, social cognition constructs from the theory of planned behavior, and physical activity intentions in leisure-time and school recess contexts. METHODS: Finnish school children (N = 845, M age = 13.93, SD = 0.99) from three lower-secondary schools completed self-report measures of perceived autonomy support by peers, autonomous and controlled motivation, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and physical activity intentions for both contexts. RESULTS: Well-fitting structural equation models controlling for past behavior indicated that autonomous motivation in the school recess context and attitude in both contexts were the most pervasive predictors of physical activity intentions, and mediated the relationship between perceived autonomy support and intentions. Multi-group analyses supported invariance of the models in both contexts across gender, grades, and school, with few variations. CONCLUSIONS: The current study supports relations between motivational and social cognition correlates of children's physical activity intentions in school recess and leisure-time contexts. Future research should extend these findings to the prediction of follow-up participation in physical activity.

An intervention to reduce alcohol consumption in undergraduate students using implementation intentions and mental simulations: a cross-national study.

BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to deleterious health consequences among undergraduate students. There is a need to develop theory-based and cost-effective brief interventions to attenuate alcohol consumption in this population. PURPOSE: The present study tested the effectiveness of an integrated theory-based intervention in reducing undergraduates' alcohol consumption in excess of guideline limits in national samples from Estonia, Finland, and the UK. METHOD: A 2 (volitional: implementation intention vs. no implementation intention) × 2 (motivation: mental simulation vs. no mental simulation) × 3 (nationality: Estonia vs. Finland vs. UK) randomized-controlled design was adopted. Participants completed baseline psychological measures and self-reported number of alcohol units consumed and binge-drinking frequency followed by the intervention manipulation. One month later, participants completed follow-up measures of the psychological variables and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Results revealed main effects for implementation intention and nationality on units of alcohol consumed at follow-up and an implementation intention × nationality interaction. Alcohol consumption was significantly reduced in the implementation intention condition for the Estonian and UK samples. There was a significant main effect for nationality and an implementation intention × nationality interaction on binge-drinking frequency. Follow-up tests revealed significant reductions in binge-drinking occasions in the implementation intention group for the UK sample only. CONCLUSION: Results support the implementation intention component of the intervention in reducing alcohol drinking in excess of guideline limits among Estonian and UK undergraduates. There was no support for the motivational intervention or the interaction between the strategies. Results are discussed with respect to intervention design based on motivational and volitional approaches.

Predicting alcohol consumption and binge drinking in company employees: an application of planned behaviour and self-determination theories.

OBJECTIVES: This study tested an integrated model of the psychosocial determinants of alcohol-related behaviour among company employees from four nations. A motivational sequence was proposed in which motivational orientations from self-determination theory influenced intentions to consume alcohol within guideline limits and alcohol-related behaviour via the mediation of the theory of planned behaviour variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (PBC). DESIGN: A three-wave prospective design using self-reported psychological and behavioural measures. METHODS: Company employees (N= 486, males = 225, females = 261; M age = 30.41, SD= 8.31) from four nations (Estonia, Finland, Sweden, and UK) completed measures of autonomous and controlled motivation from self-determination theory, attitudes, subjective norms, PBC, intentions from the theory of planned behaviour, and self-reported measures of past alcohol consumption and binge-drinking occasions at the first time point (time 1). Follow-up psychological and behavioural measures were taken one month later (time 2) and follow-up behavioural measures taken a further 2 months later (time 3). RESULTS: Path analyses supported the motivational sequence with identified regulation (time 1), predicting intentions (time 1), and alcohol units consumed (time 2). The effects were indirect via the mediation of attitudes and PBC (time 1). A similar pattern of effects was found for the effect of time 2 psychological variables on time 3 units of alcohol consumed. There was little support for the effects of the psychological variables on binge-drinking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide new information on the psychosocial determinants of alcohol behaviour in company employees and the processes involved. Results may provide impetus for the development of interventions to reduce alcohol consumption.