A conflict-theory approach to understanding adolescents' health behaviour

Conflict-Theory proposes that coping styles moderate relations between health beliefs and decisions such that perceptions of threat and response-efficacy better predict health decisions in persons high on vigilance, or low on defensive avoidance or hypervigilance. These postulates were tested in a large-scale cross-sectional survey (Umeh, in press). The study involved 885 adolescents (aged 13-17 years) and focused on several important health behaviours (substance use, regular exercise, dietary fat consumption, unsafe sex).;There was little evidence that dispositional coping styles moderate relations between health beliefs and decisions. Beliefs about the efficacy of using protection during sexual intercourse predicted intentions to have unprotected sex as a function of vigilance. However the pattern of this moderator effect contradicted Conflict-Theory postulates: efficacy beliefs better predicted intentions in participants low on vigilance. There was no evidence that relations between health beliefs and decision are affected by levels of defensive avoidance or hypervigilance. Each coping style predicted intentions to exercise regularly and (vigilance only) have unprotected sex, independent of health beliefs.;Conflict-Theory also proposes that high levels of vigilance relate to low levels of health risk-taking, whereas high levels of defensive avoidance and hypervigilance relate to high levels of health risk-taking. These postulates were tested in a secondary survey focusing on cigarette use (using a subsample of 104 participants from the main study). Coping patterns were associated with health risk-taking in accordance with Conflict-Theory.;Overall, there was no evidence that the proposed role of coping styles in belief-decision relations apply to adolescents. However, there was some evidence for vigilance as a moderator, and coping styles as predictors of decisions irrespective of health beliefs. Coping also relates to health risk-taking. Overall, the importance of Conflict-Theory coping styles in adolescents' health decisions, whether as moderator or predictor variables, varies across coping constructs and health behaviours

Applying the theory of planned behaviour to understand mental health professionals' intentions to work using a human rights-based approach in acute inpatient settings.

BACKGROUND: There has been a shift to implement human rights-based approaches in acute mental health care due to increasing concerns around quality of care. National Health Service (NHS) Trusts have a legal duty to uphold a person's human rights, therefore it is important to understand what any barriers might be. Using psychological theory may help to develop this understanding. AIM: To test whether the theory of planned behaviour can be an effective model in understanding mental health professionals' intentions to work using a human rights-based approach. METHOD: Participants were recruited from two NHS Trusts in the North West of England. A cross-sectional, survey design was used to examine mental health professionals' intentions to use human rights-based approaches. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses were performed on the theory of planned behaviour constructs showing that attitude and subjective norm significantly predicted intention. Perceived behavioural control did not add any significant variance, nor any demographic variables. CONCLUSION: There could be factors outside of the individual clinician's control to fully work within a human rights-based framework on acute mental health wards. The theory of planned behaviour offers some understanding, however further development work into measuring human rights outcomes on acute mental health wards is needed