Social-Cognitive Factors in Health Behavior Change

Adoption and maintenance of health behaviors require two separate processes that take place in a motivation phase and in a volition phase. First, an intention to change is developed, among others, on the basis of self-beliefs. Second, self-regulation is at stake when it comes to planning, initiating, maintaining, and relapse management. Social cognition models of health behavior change address these two processes. One such model, the Health Action Process Approach, is explicitly based on the assumption that two distinct phases need to be studied longitudinally, one phase that leads to a behavioral intention and another that leads to actual health behavior. Within both stages, different patterns of social-cognitive predictors may emerge, with perceived self-efficacy as the only predictor that seems to be equally important in both phases. Identifying individuals at particular points within the change process has considerable implications for treatment.