The relationship between self-efficacy, motivation, and dietary behaviors within parent-adolescent dyads: Application of actor-partner interdependence models with mediation.

The purpose of the study was to examine interdependent relationships between cognitive factors (self-efficacy and motivation) and dietary behaviors (fruit and vegetable (F/V) and junk food and sugar sweetened beverages (JF/SSB) intake) within parent-adolescent dyads. This secondary data analysis was conducted for parent-adolescent dyads using a cross-sectional Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study. The sample consisted of 1645 parent-adolescent dyads. Parents and adolescents answered questions regarding self-efficacy, motivation, and dietary behaviors. Actor-partner interdependence models with mediation (APIMeM) were run within parent-adolescent dyads. Adolescent's F/V and JF/SSB intake were positively associated with that of their parents. The relationship between F/V self-efficacy or F/V motivation and F/V intake showed the actor-partner pattern within the parent-adolescent dyads. The actor-only pattern was mainly reported for the relationship between JF/SSB self-efficacy or JF/SSB motivation and JF/SSB intake. In the F/V intake APIMeM, motivation mostly plays a mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and F/V intake within the parent-adolescent dyads. In the JF/SSB intake APIMeM, all the actor-actor mediations and only one partner-actor mediation of motivation were significantly confirmed in the relationship between self-efficacy and JF/SSB intake. This study highlighted the importance of parental involvement in promoting healthy dietary behaviors in adolescents. Personalized nutrition programs targeting both adolescents and their parents as a single unit of intervention should be provided.