Mental Health Services Use Intentions Among Canadian Military Recruits

Identifying the factors associated with mental health services use (MHSU) is an important step in developing strategies to improve services access and delivery. The aims of the present study were to (a) identify personality and individual difference characteristics associated with MHSU intentions within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and (b) explore complex relationships that might exist between these characteristics and determinants of MHSU intentions identified in TPB, including attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Data for 244 Canadian Armed Forces recruits who completed a MHSU questionnaire following mental health training were linked to personality data collected earlier. Multivariate analyses showed that the relationship between agreeableness and MHSU intentions was mediated by instrumental attitudes and subjective norms. The relationship between hardiness and MHSU intentions was mediated by subjective norms and self-efficacy. Findings suggest it may be worthwhile to consider mental health education initiatives to improve MHSU.     

The Importance of Subjective Norms on Intentions to Perform Health Behaviors

Trafimow & Finlay (1996) employed between- and within-subjects analyses to show that people, as well as behaviors, can be under attitudinal or normative control. Using both types of analyses, Finlay, Trafimow & Jones (1997) provided evidence that subjective norms are particularly important in the health domain. The current research compares health and domain general behaviors to show that people intend to perform health behaviors that have relatively large subjective norm beta weights more than those with smaller normative beta weights. Also, people whose behaviors are generally under normative control intend to perform more healthful behaviors than do people whose behaviors are generally under attitudinal control. These results were not found using domain-general behaviors.     

Smell and Taste Classification of the Same Stimuli

Much literature has suggested that people who are discriminated against or are in collectivist cultures are particularly susceptible to the social consequences of society. In the present study, the authors conducted 3 experiments to test how this factor influences attitudinal versus normative control over behaviors. First, they measured males’ and females’ attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral intentions with respect to a large number of behaviors. Although between-participants analyses were mostly uninformative, within-participants analyses uncovered strong evidence that behaviors are more under attitudinal control for females than for males. Similar analyses in a crosscultural experiment involving participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Mexico support the hypothesis that behaviors are more under attitudinal control for collectivists than for individualists. Finally, experimental data collected in the United States and Saudi Arabia further support this conclusion. Taken together, the findings suggest that although social consequences are both “social” and “consequences,” the latter is more important than the former.     

The relationship between viewing US-produced television programs and intentions to drink alcohol among a group of Norwegian adolescents

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of exposure to US-produced television programs and family rules prohibiting alcohol use on the development of normative beliefs, expectancies, and intentions to drink alcohol in the next 12 months among a group of Norwegian adolescents who reported that they had not previously consumed alcohol. Data were collected via a survey administered to 622 eighth and ninth graders enrolled at ten junior highs in southeastern Norway. To examine these relationships we tested the fit of a structural equation model which was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1988). Data from the non-drinkers (n= 392, 63% of the respondents) were used. To control for the influence of peer drinking on behavioral intentions, our model was tested under two group conditions: (1) those subjects reporting that they have no friends who drink alcohol and (2) those subjects reporting that they have one or more friends who drink. The findings indicate that the influence of TV exposure was a significant predictor (directly) of normative beliefs, expectancies (indirectly) and intentions to drink (both directly and indirectly) only for those subjects who reported having no friends who drink. For the group with non-drinking friends, family rules constrain intentions only indirectly by influencing normative beliefs. For those with friends who drink, however, family rules have a direct (inverse) effect on intentions. It is concluded that exposure to US-produced television programs functions as a limited knowledge source only for those subjects who had little or no personal experience with alcohol while the presence of family rules have limited impact on behavioral intentions.     

Predicting Exercise and Health Behavioral Intentions: Attitudes,Subjective Norms,and Other Behavioral Determinants1

By comparing exercise and health domains, the current experiment extends recent findings that within‐participant analyses of attitudes and subjective norms predict behavioral intentions well (Finlay, Trafimow, & Moroi, 1999). Within‐participant analyses show that health behaviors are particularly likely to be influenced by subjective norms, and those that are relatively normatively influenced are intended to be performed more than those that are not. However, neither was true of exercise behaviors. Additionally, other potential predictors for exercise (e.g., indirect attitudinal measures and goal‐oriented attitudes and intentions) correlated more strongly with exercise behavioral intentions than did general health attitudes and intentions.     

Condom use among US students: the importance of confidence in normative and attitudinal perceptions

The author performed a study among U.S. undergraduates to test an earlier conclusion (D. Trafimow, 1994) that confidence in the correctness of one's perceptions of normative pressure to use a condom influences the correspondence between those perceptions and the intentions actually to perform the behavior. Consistent with previous findings (Trafimow), the participants' perceptions of normative pressure strongly predicted their intentions to use condoms only under conditions of extreme normative confidence. Otherwise, their attitudes were better predictors of their intentions to use condoms. In addition, 2 other variables (attitudinal confidence and perceived behavioral control) were found to be unimportant predictors of intentions. Results of a 2nd study suggest that behaviors performed by sexual partners and knowing the sexual partners affected the participants' normative confidence.     

Condom Use Among U.S. Students: The Importance of Confidence in Normative and Attitudinal Perceptions

Abstract

The author performed a study among U.S. undergraduates to test an earlier conclusion (D. Trafimow, 1994) that confidence in the correctness of one's perceptions of normative pressure to use a condom influences the correspondence between those perceptions and the intentions actually to perform the behavior. Consistent with previous findings (Trafimow), the participants' perceptions of normative pressure strongly predicted their intentions to use condoms only under conditions of extreme normative confidence. Otherwise, their attitudes were better predictors of their intentions to use condoms. In addition, 2 other variables (attitudinal confidence and perceived behavioral control) were found to be unimportant predictors of intentions. Results of a 2nd study suggest that behaviors performed by sexual partners and knowing the sexual partners affected the participants' normative confidence.     

Decision Making Versus Decision Implementation: An Action Control Approach to Exercise Adoption and Adherence1

Two studies were conducted, one involving adoption of an exercise program and the other involving adherence to an aerobics exercise program. Consistent with action control theory, it was hypothesized that (a) subjective expected utility theory would predict exercise intentions but not exercise behavior in each study; (b) exercise adoption (Study 1) and attendance at an aerobics class (Study 2) would be predictable from the intentions regarding these behaviors expressed by action-oriented but not state-oriented subjects; and (c) subjects who had engaged in planning in regard to exercising would be more likely to adopt an exercise program (Study 1) and would exercise more frequently (Study 2). The findings provide some support for all three hypotheses. Implications of this research are discussed in regard to the distinction between decision making and decision implementation or action control; the relative usefulness of an action-control versus an expectancy-value approach for behavior involving complex decision implementation over a long period of time; the value of action orientation as a moderator of intention-behavior relationships; and the role of planning in exercise behavior.     

Attitudinal and Normative Factors as Determinants of Gay Men's Intentions to Perform AIDS-Related Sexual Behaviors: A Multisite Analysis1

The purpose of this study was to test the applicability of the theory of reasoned action as a basis for understanding and predicting gay men's intentions to perform AIDS-related sexual behaviors. A total of 314 self-identified gay or bisexual men from Seattle, Denver, and Albany participated in the study. They were asked to indicate their intentions to perform 15 specific sexual behaviors chosen to represent different degrees of risk of contracting AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, they were asked to respond to items measuring the attitudinal and normative considerations regarding each behavior. As expected, the results showed that the gay men's intentions were significantly predicted by the two factors. More interesting, it was found that, although attitudes are consistently the more important determinants of intentions for all the respondents, the importance of normative considerations varies across cities. This difference in normative considerations is interpreted in light of the differences in the structure of the three gay communities. Implications for designing sample-specific intervention programs are discussed.     

Applicability of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior in Predicting Job Seeker Intentions to Use Job‐Search Websites

Although use of the Internet for job searching is rapidly increasing, the motivations for using electronic recruitment (e‐recruitment) services by job seekers have seldom been addressed. Derived from the extended theory of planned behavior, this study develops a research model for the empirical examination of factors affecting job seeker intentions to use job‐search websites. Utilizing data collected from 174 participants in Taiwan, various relationships in the research model are tested using structural equation modeling approach. The results showed that job seeker attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control significantly affected their intentions to use job‐search websites. Also, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use showed a significant effect on attitude, interpersonal influence on subjective norm, and perceived ease of use and self‐efficacy on perceived behavioral control. However, external influence was found to be an insignificant predictor of subjective norm. In addition to providing further insight into the factors that influence job seeker intentions to use job‐search websites, this study offers valuable suggestions for subsequent research and practitioners investigating the use of e‐recruitment services.     

Attitudes, Intentions, and Behavior: A Study of Women's Participation in Collective Action

The present study tests the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior in the context of women's participation in collective action. Participants were 387 women who completed two questionnaires with an interval of 1 year. In the first questionnaire, participants were asked to provide measures of attitudinal, normative, and control factors, as well as measures of intention to participate in 4 group-related activities over the coming year. One year later in the second questionnaire, the same women provided measures of the degree to which they had actually participated in these behaviors during the course of the year. Findings showed strong relationships between attitudinal factors and intentions, and between intentions and behavior. The addition of perceived behavioral control, as specified by the theory of planned behavior, made little difference in regression analyses. Further analyses focused on the mediating role of identification as an activist. This revealed that attitudinal considerations were only important in the prediction of intention for those individuals with a weaker sense of themselves as activists. It is suggested that expectancy-value calculations may be less important in predicting the intentions of strongly committed individuals to engage in group-relevant acts.     

Organizational commitment,turnover intentions and the influence of cultural values

The moderating influence of idiocentrism and allocentrism on the relationship between organizational commitment and turnover intentions was examined. The investigation evolved over two phases. In Study 1, emic (culture‐specific) items were generated through in‐depth interviews with Turkish employees, and the commitment scales by Meyer, Allen, and Smith (1993) were revised to make them more appropriate for the Turkish context. In Study 2, turnover intentions were predicted as a function of an individual's affective, continuance, normative commitment, and social factors, operationalized as the approval of the family. The results indicated that affective commitment was an important predictor of turnover intentions irrespective of idiocentric or allocentric values. However, normative commitment and social factors were weaker predictors for individuals who endorsed idiocentric, values and social factors were a stronger predictor for allocentrics. These findings underline the importance of a normative perspective on organizational commitment, especially for collectivistic contexts.     

The cultural congruency effect: Culture, regulatory focus, and the effectiveness of gain- vs. loss-framed health messages

The present study contributes a cultural analysis to the literature on the persuasive effects of matching message frame to individuals’ motivational orientations. One experiment examines how members of cultural groups that are likely to differ in their regulatory focus respond to health messages focusing on either the benefits of flossing or the costs of not flossing. White British participants, who had a stronger promotion focus, were more persuaded by the gain-framed message, whereas East-Asian participants, who had a stronger prevention focus, were more persuaded by the loss-framed message. This cultural difference in persuasion was mediated by an interaction between individuals’ self-regulatory focus and type of health message. Thus health messages framed to be culturally congruent led participants to have more positive attitudes and stronger intentions to perform the health behaviors, and the interaction between self-regulatory focus and message frame emerged as the pathway through which the observed cultural difference occurs. Discussion focuses on the integration of individual difference, socio-cultural, and situational factors into models of health persuasion.     

Does State Versus Action Orientation Moderate the Intention‐Behavior Relationship?

According to Kuhl's (1985) theory of action control, action-oriented individuals should be more likely to translate their intentions into action than state-oriented individuals. The present study considered the moderating role of state vs. action orientation on intention-behavior relations across 30 behaviors. Respondents (N = 211) completed questionnaires assessing their intentions to perform each of the 30 behaviors and state vs. action orientation. Two weeks later, respondents completed a second questionnaire to assess performance of the 30 behaviors. Between-subjects and within-subjects analyses both failed to provide support for the moderating role of state vs. action orientation, although a more detailed analysis revealed that state-oriented individuals were more likely to act on their intentions in the case of behaviors that were under normative control. The results are discussed in relation to Kuhl's theory of action control and the need to focus on a range of volitional processes when addressing the intention-behavior gap.     

Predicting Health Behaviors From Attitudes and Subjective Norms: Between-Subjects and Within-Subjects Analyses

Much previous research (Trafimow & Fishbein, 1994a, 1994b) indicates that some behaviors are mostly under attitudinal control and some are mostly under normative control. Further, other research (Trafimow & Finlay, 1996) demonstrates that people, as well as behaviors, can be generally under attitudinal or normative control. The present research applies these ideas to the domain of health behaviors. Analyses conducted between-subjects for each behavior, and within-subjects across all of the behaviors, demonstrate that both behaviors and people can be under attitudinal or normative control when responding to items pertaining to health.     

Studying, Practicing, and Mastering: A Test of the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB) in the Software Learning Domain

The present study tested the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). The model proposes that behavioral intentions to perform instrumental behaviors are primarily motivated by desires to perform the acts. In turn, desires mediate the effects of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, and anticipated emotions on intentions. Construct validity for MGB variables is assessed, and the predictive utility of the MGB is compared with that of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). College students ( N = 102) provided measures for MGB and TPB variables while participating in a training program to use statistical software. We focused on two goal-related instrumental behaviors: studying handbooks and practicing with the package. The results show that the MGB accounts for a greater proportion of variance in intentions and instrumental behaviors than does TPB. Although desires mediate most of the effects of other predictors on intentions to perform the instrumental behaviors, it is proposed that when the behavior is normatively relevant, or when self-efficacy appraisals play a major role, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control may directly affect intentions.     

Organ donation intentions and behaviors: application and extension of the theory of planned behavior

Organ donation intentions and behaviors were investigated using a traditional and extended theory of planned behavior (TPB). In study 1, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were associated with intentions to engage in donation behaviors in a student sample (all p ≤ .02), and intentions significantly predicted behavior 2 months later (p < .001). Study 2 utilized a community sample of Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim individuals. Measures of affect and religious attitudes were added to the traditional TPB, increasing the variance in intentions accounted for by the model, F(7, 181) = 6.94, p < .001. The studies support the use of an extended TPB in predicting donation‐related intentions and behaviors and suggest potential targets of interventions to promote donation.