Mechanisms of health behavior change in persons with chronic illness or disability: The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA).

Abstract. Health Psychology at the Freie Universität Berlin is devoted to research and teaching in the entire field of health psychology, including stress, coping, social support, self-efficacy, personality, quality of life, and health behavior change. In this article, we briefly describe one theory that represents our line of thinking (the Health Action Process Approach), followed by examples of longitudinal and experimental studies on health behavior change. A major finding is that interventions to improve physical activity, healthy nutrition, and dental hygiene are most effective when matched to three stages of change. Moreover, we address the field of health self-regulation across the life span: We are involved in the consortium Autonomy Despite Multimorbidity in Old Age (AMA), co-investigating the project Health Behaviors and Multiple Illnesses in Old Age (PREFER), and we are the home institution of the project Fostering Lifelong Autonomy and Resources in Europe: Behaviour and Successful Aging (FLARE-BSA).

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Health Behavior Change in Older Adults: Testing the Health Action Process Approach at the Inter- and Intraindividual Level

Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being ◽

10.1111/aphw.12094 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 324-348 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Walter Bierbauer ◽

Jennifer Inauen ◽

Sabine Schaefer ◽

Maike Margarethe Kleemeyer ◽

Janina Lüscher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Health Behavior Change ◽

Process Approach ◽

Health Action Process Approach ◽

Health Action ◽

Action Process

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A Meta Analysis of the Health Action Process Approach

10.31234/osf.io/4pc27 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chun-Qing Zhang ◽

Ru Zhang ◽

Ralf Schwarzer ◽

Martin S Hagger

Keyword(s):

Health Behavior ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Process Approach ◽

Outcome Expectancies ◽

Health Action Process Approach ◽

Past Behavior ◽

Model Predictions ◽

Health Action ◽

Action Process

Objective: The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) is a social-cognitive model specifying motivational and volitional determinants of health behavior. A meta-analysis of studies applying the HAPA in health behavior contexts was conducted to estimate the size and variability of correlations among model constructs, test model predictions, and test effects of past behavior and moderators (behavior type, sample type, measurement lag, study quality) on model relations.Methods: A literature search identified 95 studies meeting inclusion criteria with 108 independent samples. Averaged corrected correlations among HAPA constructs and multivariate tests of model predictions were computed using conventional meta-analysis and meta-analytic structural equation modeling, with separate models estimated in each moderator group.Results: Action and maintenance self-efficacy and outcome expectancies had small-to-medium sized effects on health behavior, with effects of outcome expectancies and action self-efficacy mediated by intentions, and action and coping planning. Effects of risk perceptions and recovery self-efficacy were small by comparison. Past behavior attenuated the intention-behavior relationship. Few variations in model effects were observed across moderator groups. Effects of action self-efficacy on intentions and behavior were larger in studies on physical activity compared to studies on dietary behaviors, whereas effects of volitional self-efficacy on behavior were larger in studies on dietary behaviors.Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of self-efficacy in predicting health behavior in motivational and volitional action phases. The analysis is expected to catalyze future research including experimental studies targeting change in individual HAPA constructs, and longitudinal research to examine change and reciprocal effects among constructs in the model.

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Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) as a Theoretical Framework to Understand Behavior Change

Actualidades en Psicología ◽

10.15517/ap.v30i121.23458 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (121) ◽

pp. 119 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Ralf Schwarzer

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Theoretical Framework ◽

Process Approach ◽

Health Action Process Approach ◽

Health Action ◽

Action Process

Se presenta un marco de referencia para explicar, predecir, y modificar conductas de salud el cual consiste en varios constructos psicológicos y un mecanismo de mediación. La percepción de riesgo, las expectativas de resultado, la autoeficacia, la intención, y el control de acción constituyen los bloques de construcción para un modelo de mediación que está basado en dos procesos: el establecimiento de metas y la consecución de metas. Cuando se trata del desarrollo de intervenciones para modificar conductas, uno puede apuntar hacia la fase inicial de motivación, o bien, hacia la fase volitiva subsecuente. Este es un marco de referencia abierto, que permite varios diseños de investigación y un subconjunto de constructos. Se han realizado cientos de estudios basados en este modelo, de los cuales se escoge, como ilustración, tres estudios correlacionales y dos estudios de intervención, que abordan actividad física en Alemania y Costa Rica, higiene dental en India y Polonia, y uso de mascarillas contra el polvo en China. Estos difieren en términos de predictores que emergen como predictores más relevantes para el cambio de conductas.

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