Conner, M orcid.org/0000-0002-6229-8143, Wilding, S orcid.org/0000-0002-7977-7132, Prestwich, A orcid.org/0000-0002-7489-6415 et al. (5 more authors) (2022) Goal prioritization and behavior change: Evaluation of an intervention for multiple health behaviors. Health Psychology, 41 (5). pp. 356-365. ISSN 0278-6133
Abstract
Objectives: Goal prioritization is a promising strategy for promoting health behavior change. The present research (a) tested whether goal prioritization engenders change in multiple health behaviors, (b) compared the effectiveness of prioritizing one versus two health behavior goals, and (c) assessed whether prioritization compromises the performance of nonprioritized behaviors. Method: Participants (N = 1,802) were randomly allocated to one of two intervention conditions (prioritize one vs. two behaviors) or two no-prioritization, control conditions. Participants in the intervention conditions self-selected the behavior(s) to prioritize from a given set. Goal priority and behavioral performance were assessed 8 weeks later. Results: The prioritization interventions were successful in promoting goal priority and led to significantly greater behavior change compared to both control conditions. Prioritizing two health behavior goals led to increased behavioral performance compared to prioritizing a single goal. Goal prioritization did not lead to a decline in rates of performance of nonprioritized behaviors. Conclusions: The present findings offer new evidence that goal prioritization is effective in promoting health behavior change. Prioritizing health goals engenders behavior change for both one and two focal behaviors and does so without adversely affecting the performance of nonprioritized health behaviors. Further tests of interventions to promote the priority of health goals are warranted.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 APA. This is an author produced version of an article published in Health Psychology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | goal prioritization; goal intention; health behavior |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Unilever CH-2010-0904 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 03 Nov 2021 16:00 |
Last Modified: | 17 Mar 2023 02:06 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Psychological Association |
Identification Number: | 10.1037/hea0001149 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:179838 |