title: Self-regulatory processes mediate the intention-behavior relation for adherence and exercise behaviors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understanding the gap between people's intentions and actual health behavior is an important issue in health psychology. Our aim in this study was to investigate whether self-regulatory processes (monitoring goal progress and responding to discrepancies) mediate the intention-behavior relation in relation to HIV medication adherence (Study 1) and intensive exercise behavior (Study 2).
  
  
  METHODS
  In Study 1, questionnaire and electronically monitored adherence data were collected at baseline and 3 months later from patients in the control arm of an HIV-adherence intervention study. In Study 2, questionnaire data was collected at 3 time points 6-weeks apart in a cohort study of physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data at all time points were obtained from 51 HIV-infected patients and 499 intensive exercise participants. Intentions were good predictors of behavior and explained 25 to 30% of the variance. Self-regulatory processes explained an additional 11% (Study 1) and 6% (Study 2) of variance in behavior on top of intentions. Regression and bootstrap analyses revealed at least partial, and possibly full, mediation of the intention-behavior relation by self-regulatory processes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present studies indicate that self-regulatory processes may explain how intentions drive behavior. Future tests, using different health behaviors and experimental designs, could firmly establish whether self-regulatory processes complement current health behavior theories and should become routine targets for intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Science, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. marijn.debruin.wur.nl
authors.forename: Marijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.forename: Paschal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sheeran
authors.forename: Gerjo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiemstra
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: Harm J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hospers
authors.forename: Gerard J P
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van Breukelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires