Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 21 March 2011
Rebecca J., Williams , Thaddeus A., Herzog , Vani N., Simmons
Introduction: The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) posits a distinction between pre-intentional motivation processes and a post-intentional volition process that leads to the actual behavior change. For smoking cessation, the HAPA predicts that increased risk perceptions would foster a decision to quit smoking. From a cross-sectional perspective, the HAPA predicts that those who do not intend to quit (non-intenders) should have lower risk perceptions than those who do intend to quit (intenders). Method: Adult smokers participated in a cross-sectional survey. Multiple measures of motivation to quit smoking and risk perceptions for smoking were assessed. ANOVA and contrast analysis were employed for data analysis. Results: The…
Research Highlights: ►Two important psychological variables associated with smoking cessation are motivation to quit and health risk perceptions of smoking. ►Non-intenders had lower risk perceptions compared to intenders. ►Smokers low in motivation to quit could benefit from information and reminders about the serious health problems caused by smoking.