title: Nutrition self-efficacy is unidirectionally related to outcome expectations in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the underlying relationship between nutrition self-efficacy and outcome expectations because the direction of the relationship (unidirectional vs bidirectional) is debated in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary data analysis of a 10-week, 10-lesson school-based nutrition education intervention among 3rd grade students (N  =  952). Nutrition self-efficacy (7 items) and nutrition outcome expectations (9 items) were measured through student self-report at intervention pre- (time 1) and post- (time 2) assessments. A series of two time point, multi-group cross-lagged bivariate change score models were used to determine the direction of the relationship.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cross lag from nutrition self-efficacy at time 1 predicting changes in nutrition outcome expectations at time 2 significantly improved the fit of the model (Model 3), whereas a cross lag from nutrition outcome expectations at time 1 to changes in nutrition self-efficacy at time 2 only slightly improved the fit of the model (Model 2). Furthermore, adding both cross lags (Model 4) did not improve model fit compared to the model with only the self-efficacy cross lag (Model 3). Lastly, the nutrition outcome expectations cross lag did not significantly predict changes in nutrition self-efficacy in any of the models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data suggest that there is a unidirectional relationship between nutrition self-efficacy and outcome expectations, in which self-efficacy predicts outcome expectations. Therefore, theory-based nutrition interventions may consider focusing more resources on changing self-efficacy because it may also lead to changes in outcome expectations as well.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, 3620 S. McClintock Ave, SGM 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA. Electronic address: allarsen@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, 3620 S. McClintock Ave, SGM 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McArdle
authors.affiliation: Dairy Council of California, 2151 Michelson Drive, Suite 235, Irvine, CA 92612-1339, USA.
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, 3620 S. McClintock Ave, SGM 501, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA.
authors.forename: Genevieve F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Dunton
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D052756:Nutritional Sciences; D012574:Schools; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012927:Social Control, Informal
keywords: Attitudes; Diet; Health; School-based research; Social-cognition