title: Development of theory-based health messages: three-phase programme of formative research.
abstract: Online health behaviour interventions have great potential but their effectiveness may be hindered by a lack of formative and theoretical work. This paper describes the process of formative research to develop theoretically and empirically based health messages that are culturally relevant and can be used in an online intervention to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours among new university students. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, a three-phase programme of formative research was conducted with prospective and current undergraduate students to identify (i) modal salient beliefs (the most commonly held beliefs) about fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, binge drinking and smoking, (ii) which beliefs predicted intentions/behaviour and (iii) reasons underlying each of the beliefs that could be targeted in health messages. Phase 1, conducted with 96 pre-university college students, elicited 56 beliefs about the behaviours. Phase 2, conducted with 3026 incoming university students, identified 32 of these beliefs that predicted intentions/behaviour. Phase 3, conducted with 627 current university students, elicited 102 reasons underlying the 32 beliefs to be used to construct health messages to bolster or challenge these beliefs. The three-phase programme of formative research provides researchers with an example of how to develop health messages with a strong theoretical- and empirical base for use in health behaviour change interventions.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP, UK.
authors: Tracy
authors: T
authors: Epton
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP, UK.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Norman
authors: School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QH, UK.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Harris
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP, UK.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Webb
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP, UK.
authors: F Alexandra
authors: FA
authors: Snowsill
authors: Psychology Department, University of North Carolina, 323 Davie Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA.
authors: Paschal
authors: P
authors: Sheeran
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: health; intervention; theory; theory of planned behaviour