Worry as a moderator of the association between risk perceptions and quitting intentions in young adult and adult smokers.
BACKGROUND
Although much work addresses the association between risk perceptions and behavior, much less attention has been devoted to identifying psychosocial and sociodemographic moderators of this relationship.


OBJECTIVE
We explored whether worry moderates the relationship between risk perceptions and behavioral intentions in an adult sample (where the relationship is typically positive) and a young adult sample (where we have found that the relationship can be negative).


METHODS
Two samples of smokers (adults and college students) were asked to report worry, risk perceptions, and quitting intentions as part of two cessation interventions.


RESULTS
Among low-worry individuals, the risk perception/intentions relationship was positive in the adult sample and negative in the young adult sample. However, among high-worry individuals, the relationship was negative in the adult sample (and nonsignificant in the young adult sample).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that worry can moderate the extent to which risk perceptions motivate risk-related intentions and that the nature of such moderation may depend on other factors such as age.
Klein
William M P
WM
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. kleinwm@mail.nih.gov
Zajac
Laura E
LE
Monin
Matthew M
MM
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities