Combining self-affirmation with implementation intentions to promote fruit and vegetable consumption

Area of Science:

• Health Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Health messages often aim to change behavior but face challenges in effectiveness.
• Self-affirmation can buffer psychological threat, potentially enhancing health message reception.
• Implementation intentions link goals to actions, aiding behavior change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test if self-affirmation enhances fruit and vegetable consumption.
• To evaluate if implementation intentions amplify self-affirmation's effects on health behavior.
• To assess the 3-month durability of these interventions.

Main Methods:

• 332 participants were randomized into a 2x2 factorial design (self-affirmation vs. control; implementation intentions vs. no implementation intentions).
• Participants completed a self-affirmation task, read a health message, and formed implementation intentions.
• Fruit and vegetable consumption was measured at baseline, 7 days, and 3 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Self-affirmed participants reported higher fruit and vegetable intake at both 7 days and 3 months.
• Forming implementation intentions also led to increased consumption.
• A significant interaction at 7 days showed highest consumption when self-affirmation and implementation intentions were combined.

Conclusions:

• Self-affirmation positively impacts health behavior and its effects are durable over 3 months.
• Implementation intentions enhance the effectiveness of self-affirmation for promoting health behaviors.
• Combining self-affirmation with implementation intentions offers a promising strategy for health behavior change.