Geers Andrew L, Van Wasshenova Emily, Murray Ashley B, Mahas Rachel, Fahlman Mariane, Boardley Debra
Department of Psychology, University of Toledo.
School of Population Health, University of Toledo.
Health Psychol. 2017 Oct;36(10):996-1005. doi: 10.1037/hea0000546. Epub 2017 Aug 24.
Affective associations are key predictors of health-relevant action that can mediate the relationships between cognitive variables and health behavior. Little data, however, has examined affective associations in high-risk groups, the individuals with the greatest need for intervention. Further, few studies have examined the unique predictive ability of positive and negative affective associations.
The present study assessed positive affective associations, negative affective associations, cognitive beliefs, subjective norms, and reports of 4 obesity-related behaviors (physical activity, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, and soft drink consumption) across a cross-sectional (n = 1,499) and a longitudinal sample (n = 104) of predominantly African American adolescents of low socioeconomic status from the inner city of urban Detroit.
In both samples, positive (not negative) affective associations were the strongest and most consistent predictor of health behavior. Analyses also suggested that positive affective associations mediate the relationships between cognitive beliefs, subjective norms, and health behavior. Interaction tests revealed no evidence that the link between positive affective associations and health behavior is moderated by negative affective associations, cognitive beliefs, subjective norms, sex, or age.
The results are consistent with affective association research and support the development of health interventions for urban minority youth aimed at changing positive (rather than negative) affective associations. The consistency across behaviors and the lack of reliable interactive effects suggests that changing positive affective associations may benefit urban youth regardless of behavior domain, age, sex, negative affective associations, subjective norm, and cognitive beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record
情感关联是与健康相关行为的关键预测因素，能够介导认知变量与健康行为之间的关系。然而，很少有数据研究高危人群（即最需要干预的个体）中的情感关联。此外，很少有研究考察积极和消极情感关联的独特预测能力。
本研究评估了底特律市中心主要为社会经济地位较低的非裔美国青少年的一个横断面样本（n = 1499）和一个纵向样本（n = 104）中的积极情感关联、消极情感关联、认知信念、主观规范以及4种与肥胖相关行为（体育活动、水果消费、蔬菜消费和软饮料消费）的报告。
在两个样本中，积极（而非消极）情感关联是健康行为最强且最一致的预测因素。分析还表明，积极情感关联介导了认知信念、主观规范与健康行为之间的关系。交互检验没有发现证据表明积极情感关联与健康行为之间的联系会受到消极情感关联、认知信念、主观规范、性别或年龄的调节。
研究结果与情感关联研究一致，并支持为城市少数族裔青年开发旨在改变积极（而非消极）情感关联的健康干预措施。行为之间的一致性以及缺乏可靠的交互效应表明，改变积极情感关联可能会使城市青年受益，而不论行为领域、年龄、性别、消极情感关联、主观规范和认知信念如何。（PsycINFO数据库记录
