Adding Perspective: Predicting Adolescent Sunscreen Use with an Extended Health Action Process Approach

Physical Activity under Stress: A Perspective of HAPA and Individual Differences

Aims: Physical activity is an effective way for people to cope with stress. However, people often decrease their physical activity in response to stressors. Therefore, we aimed to understand the relationship between perceived stress and physical activity from an outcome expectancies perspective and investigated the moderating role of future orientation in this relationship. Methods: This study recruited 425 students who completed a three-wave survey at six-week intervals. A moderated mediation model was used to examine the mediating effects of outcome expectancies and the moderating effects of future orientation. Results: The results indicated that outcome expectancies mediated the relationship between perceived stress and physical activity. This relationship was moderated by future orientation. In particular, the mediating effects were significant for people with a high future orientation, but not for those with a low future orientation. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the adaptive function of future orientation in response to general stress. Importantly, the link between perceived stress and reduced physical activity could be mitigated by encouraging people to focus on future consequences. Future studies should consider developing intervention strategies that help those struggling with stressful contexts.

Using the health action process approach to predict facemask use and hand washing in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Personal hygiene including wearing facemask and washing hands are instrumental to reduce transmission of COVID-19. The present study applied the health action process approach (HAPA) to examine the process from intention to protective behaviors in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal online survey study was conducted among 229 individuals (61.6% females; M _age = 25.37 years, SD _age = 8.34 years) living in Hubei province, China. Action self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, risk perception, intention, planning and action control regarding facemask wearing and hand washing were assessed at baseline (Time 1), and behaviors were assessed a week later (Time 2). Data were collected from 30 January to 16 February 2020. Two structural equation models were specified to test the theory-driven determinants of the facemask wearing and hand washing respectively. The results showed that action self-efficacy predicted intentions to wear facemasks and wash hands. Intention and action control predicted both behaviors at Time 2. Associations between planning and behaviors were mixed. Mediation analyses revealed that action control significantly mediated the relationship between intention and both behaviors (facemask wearing: 90% CI [0.01, 0.12]; hand washing: 95% CI [0.01, 0.21]). Planning did not mediate the relationship between intention and the two behaviors. The findings illustrate that action self-efficacy is positively associated with intention to facemask wearing and hand washing, and action control contributes to bridging intention to behaviors. Both motivational and volitional factors warrant consideration in interventions to improve adherence to facemask wearing and hand washing in COVID-19.