Enhancing planning strategies for sunscreen use at different stages of change.
To promote sun safety by implementing different plans for sunscreen use, different psychological interventions are compared. Self-regulatory strategies such as action planning and coping planning are seen as proximal predictors of actual behavior. The study compares a pure planning intervention with a broader resource communication and examines differential effects at different stages of change. A sun safety online study was designed with two intervention groups (resource communication versus planning) and one control group at two assessment points, 2 weeks apart. Participants (N = 292) were grouped post hoc according to their stage of change, resulting in 51 pre-intenders (no intention to use sunscreen), 102 intenders (high intention but no regular use of sunscreen) and 139 actors (sunscreen use on a regular basis). No overall treatment effects on planning, but an interaction between time, stage and intervention emerged. The resource communication was more effective for pre-intenders, whereas the planning intervention proved more effective for intenders. A planning treatment was more beneficial in motivated individuals, whereas a broader approach was better for unmotivated ones. Findings highlight the potential that stage-matched interventions might have in the context of sun safety promotion.
Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, Republicii 37, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. catrinelcraciun@yahoo.com
Catrinel
C
Craciun
Natalie
N
Schüz
Sonia
S
Lippke
Ralf
R
Schwarzer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D013473:Sunscreening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
D013473:Sunscreening Agents