The formation of specific action plans can enhance sun protection behavior in motivated parents

To determine whether formulating specific plans with regard to sunscreen use can influence parental sun protection behavior (i.e., applying sunscreen to their child).

In the spring of 2005, an electronic survey on sun protection behavior was performed among 436 parents in the Netherlands. Participants were randomly allocated to a 'questionnaire-only' control group or an experimental group, in which they were asked to formulate implementation intentions, i.e., specific action plans detailing when, where and how they would use sunscreen to protect their child from the sun in the upcoming summer. Parental sunscreen use was assessed at a 5-month follow-up.

Although the intervention had no overall effect, a significant groupxintention interaction effect existed (p=0.02). Implementation intentions were effective in the subgroup of highly motivated participants, increasing adequate parental sunscreen use by 13.5%. Implementation intentions did not increase parents' intentions towards sunscreen use, indicating that their behavioral effect was not due to heightened motivation.

This is the first study to report on the efficacy of implementation intentions in the area of sun protection behavior and skin cancer prevention. The results add further support to the growing body of evidence that implementation intention formation can be an important strategy to facilitate behavioral enactment, particularly in motivated respondents.