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Effect of implementation intentions to change behaviour: moderation by intention stability.
Gaston Godin1, Ariane Bélanger-Gravel, Steve Amireault
1Canada Research Chair on Behaviour and Health, FSI-Vandry, 3rd Floor, Laval University, Quebec, Canada G1V 0A6. gaston.godin@fsi.ulaval.ca
Psychological Reports
|April 21, 2010
Summary
Implementation intentions boost physical activity for those with unstable goals. This strategy supports individuals needing help to change behavior, enhancing exercise adherence.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Health Psychology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Physical activity is crucial for health, yet many struggle to maintain it.
- Implementation intentions (planning when, where, how) are a strategy to bridge intention-behavior gaps.
- The role of intention stability in the effectiveness of such interventions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of implementation intentions on leisure-time physical activity.
- To examine if intention stability moderates the effectiveness of implementation intentions.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial with 349 participants.
- Baseline psychosocial assessment and random assignment to implementation intention or control group.
- Intervention group formed specific plans for exercise; physical activity assessed at 6-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- The intervention showed no overall significant effect on physical activity at 6-month follow-up.
- A significant interaction revealed the intervention was effective only for participants with unstable intentions.
- Intention stability moderated the intervention's effect, highlighting its utility for those needing support.
Conclusions:
- Implementation intentions are not universally effective for increasing physical activity.
- The intervention's success is contingent on the individual's intention stability.
- Targeting interventions towards individuals with unstable intentions may optimize behavior change efforts.
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