Babes-Bolyai University, Republicii 37, 100054, Cluj Napoca, Romania.
Int J Behav Med. 2012 Mar;19(1):65-72. doi: 10.1007/s12529-011-9153-x.
Sun safety behaviors to prevent skin cancer, such as sunscreen use, are difficult to adopt and maintain.
Most social-cognitive theories assume that the intention to change a behavior is the best predictor of actual change. But unforeseen barriers emerge, or people give in to temptations, such as getting a tan despite their initial good intentions. The Health Action Process Approach proposed by Schwarzer (Appl Psychol 57:1-29, 1) is used to explore the self-regulatory mechanisms of sunscreen use.
An international longitudinal survey was conducted with 524 individuals. Intentions, positive outcome expectancies, distal self-efficacy, and risk perception were assessed at time 1, whereas intention, planning, and proximal self-efficacy were measured 2 weeks later at time 2. Sunscreen use was reported at 3-month follow-up (time 3).
A structural equation model fit the data well. Positive outcome expectancies, risk perception, and self-efficacy predicted the behavioral intention. Self-efficacy and planning predicted sunscreen use, and planning mediated the relation between intended and performed sunscreen use.
The findings contribute to the understanding of psychological mechanisms in health behavior change. They also point to the particular role of mediator variables in the context of sun protection behaviors, which may have implications for designing skin cancer preventive interventions.
预防皮肤癌的防晒安全行为，如使用防晒霜，很难被采纳和维持。
大多数社会认知理论假设改变行为的意图是实际改变的最佳预测指标。但意想不到的障碍出现了，或者人们屈服于诱惑，比如尽管有最初的良好意图，但还是晒黑了。Schwarzer（Appl Psychol 57:1-29, 1）提出的健康行动过程方法用于探索使用防晒霜的自我调节机制。
对 524 名个体进行了一项国际纵向调查。在第 1 时间评估意图、积极的预期结果、远端自我效能和风险感知，而在第 2 时间（2 周后）测量意图、计划和近端自我效能。在第 3 个月（第 3 时间）随访时报告防晒霜的使用情况。
结构方程模型很好地拟合了数据。积极的预期结果、风险感知和自我效能预测了行为意图。自我效能和计划预测了防晒霜的使用，计划在意图和实际使用防晒霜之间起到了中介作用。
这些发现有助于理解健康行为改变中的心理机制。它们还指出了中介变量在防晒行为背景下的特殊作用，这可能对设计皮肤癌预防干预措施具有意义。
