Theory Of Reasoned Action Variables Research Articles

The Theory of Reasoned Action as a predictor of environmental behavior: A cross-cultural comparison between college students from Texas, Louisiana, and Honduras

ABSTRACT Environmental and ecological degradation has raised concerns worldwide. Negative attitudes toward the environment plus disinterest have led to improper behavior, influencing climate change and global warming. Awareness could have a positive environmental impact by influencing attitudes and behaviors. One way to generate awareness and ensure positive behavior is through education. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), a 33-questions survey was implemented to college students from Texas, Louisiana, and Honduras to (1) compare students’ environmental attitudes, behaviors, and subjective norms at the three universities; and (2) predict how much of the undergraduate students’ environmental behavior variance could be explained by their environmental attitude, subjective norms, and perceived environmental knowledge. Multivariate analysis of variance and hierarchical regressions were performed to address the objectives, respectively. Results showed that Honduras and Louisiana students’ environmental attitudes, behavior, and subjective norms are significantly different than Texas students, and TRA variables increased the prediction of behavior variance by 15%. Understanding interactions between behavior, attitude, knowledge, and subjective norms among college students from different universities may help assess environmental interventions and design successful programs based on group needs.

Evaluating Factors Related to the Abuse of Oral Corticosteroids among Community Pharmacy Customers: Using Theory of Reasoned Action.

Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relationship between the motivational factors and the abuse of OCSs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between the use of OCSs for non-illness and six TRA factors: Normative belief, behavioral belief, evaluation of the behavior, motivation to comply, subjective norms and attitude toward behavior. The study enrolled 141 participants (98 women and 43 men) taking asking for OCSs without prescription. Dexamethasone was the most commonly used OCSs (59.6%). Friends were the primary recommenders for corticosteroids abuse (28.4%). The main reasons for using OCSs were to increase appetite and gain weight (53.9 %). Approximately one-third (36.2 %) of the participants gained weight after using OCSs. The regression analysis of the TRA variables showed two factors were significantly related to the abuse of OCSs. Age had a significant inverse relationship with the abuse of OCSs and the "good appearance" belief had a significant positive association with OCS abuse. Some Iraqi community pharmacy customers use non-prescribed oral corticosteroids to increase appetite and gain weight. Improve body appearance represents the dominant incentive that urges people to use OCSs without prescription. Health officials and healthcare practitioners need to promote people's awareness about the risks of misusing OCSs through education programs and advertisements in public health settings, media, and social media.

Physicians' intention to prescribe hydrocodone combination products after rescheduling: A theory of reasoned action approach

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rescheduled hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) in an attempt to mitigate the prescription opioid epidemic. Many in the medical and pharmacy community expressed concerns of unintended consequences as a result of rescheduling. This study examined physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling using the framework of the theory of reasoned action (TRA). A cover letter containing a link to the online questionnaire was sent to physicians of the Texas Medical Association who were likely to prescribe opioids. The questionnaire assessed physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. Predictor variables included attitude toward rescheduling, subjective norm toward HCP prescribing, and past prescribing behavior of schedule II prescriptions. All variables were measured on a 7-point, Likert-type scale. Intention to prescribe as a dependent variable was regressed over TRA variables and respondent characteristics. A total of 1176 usable responses were obtained, yielding a response rate of 13.3%. Mean (M) age was 53.07±11 and most respondents were male (70%) and Caucasian (75%). Physicians held a moderately positive intention to prescribe HCPs (M=4.36±2.08), held a moderately negative attitude towards rescheduling, M=4.68±1.51 (reverse coded). Subjective norm was moderately low, M=3.06±1.78, and past prescribing behavior M=2.43±1.21. The linear regression analysis indicated that attitude (β=0.10; P=0.006), subjective norm (β=0.35; P<0.0001) and past prescribing behavior (β=0.59; P<0.0001) were significant predictors of intention to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. TRA was shown to be a predictive model of physicians' intentions to prescribe HCPs after rescheduling. Overall, physicians held a moderately positive intention to prescribe HCPs. Past behavior concerning schedule II prescribing was found to be the most significant predictor of intention. Understanding the impact of federal rule changes on pain management care and patient satisfaction is necessary to determine whether this change has produced the intended consequences without harming patients in need of HCPs.

Ethnic and Gender Differences in Applicants' Decision-Making Processes: An Application of the Theory of Reasoned Action

Although a growing proportion of the new entrants into the workforce consist of women and ethnic minorities, relatively little is known about the recruitment and job choice processes of these applicant groups. Therefore, this study investigated cultural and gender differences in job application decision processes among 191 job seekers looking for temporary employment. The theory of reasoned action (TRA) was found to be a valid framework to explain job application decisions, although gender differences existed in the strength of the relations. Job attractiveness and perceived person–organization fit added to the prediction of job application intention over and beyond the TRA variables.

The message changes belief and the rest is theory: the “1% or less” milk campaign and reasoned action

Background. Theory-based approaches to public health interventions are useful for designing, implementing, and evaluating research. This paper describes and presents data to support the theoretical force behind the “1% or less” nutrition intervention studies. Methods. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), high-fat (whole and 2%) milk users were targeted. Supermarket milk sale data were collected, and randomly selected intervention and comparison community residents were surveyed via telephone to assess milk use. TRA constructs were used in the surveys that were conducted immediately before and after a 6-week mass media campaign. Campaign messages were aimed at changing behavioral rather than normative beliefs. Results. We found significant and predicted changes in intervention participants on intention, attitude, and behavioral beliefs, but not subjective norm outcomes. A path model showed support that TRA variables mediated significant changes in self-reported milk use. Conclusions. The analysis further validates the TRAs and supports a template using both the Principle of Compatibility and TRA to aid development and implementation of messages for effective behavior change field interventions.

The theory of reasoned action as a model of marijuana use: Tests of implicit assumptions and applicability to high-risk young women.

The theory of reasoned action (TRA) is used to model decisions about substance use among young mothers who became premaritally pregnant at age 17 or younger. The results of structural equation modeling to test the TRA indicated that most relationships specified by the model were significant and in the predicted direction. Attitude was a stronger predictor of intention than norm, but both were significantly related to intention, and intention was related to actual marijuana use 6 months later. Outcome beliefs were bidimensional, and positive outcome beliefs, but not negative beliefs, were significantly related to attitude. Prior marijuana use was only partially mediated by the TRA variables; it also was directly related to intentions to use marijuana and to subsequent use.

Leisure-Time Internet Use Does Not Correlate with Physical Activity or Physical Fitness Level of Ninth Grade African-American Girls

We assessed leisure-time Internet use (IU) and its relationship to physical fitness (PF) and leisure-time physical activity (PA) among 295 adolescent African-American girls. In addition, scales measuring variables in the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) were administered to elucidate PA data. Based on responses to the IU Questionnaire, participants were placed into either an Internet Nonuser (n = 184) or Internet User (n = 111) group. PF was assessed using body mass index (BMI) and AAHPERD Youth Fitness Tests. There were no correlations found between the fitness test scores and IU, PA, or BMI. No correlation was found between IU and PA, and similar findings were noted between PA and each variable constituting the TRA. As expected, within the TRA variables studied, significant moderate to high correlations were found between both Attitude to Exercise and Subjective Norm with Intention to Exercise, r = .43 and r = .53, respectively. The remarkably low scores among participants on the fitness tests and TRA scales suggest that IU would have no appreciable influence on the PF of this population, irrespective of IU.

Evaluation of a Cardiovascular Disease Nutrition Education Program Using The Theory of Reasoned Action

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a two-year education program on changing knowledge, attitudes (AT), subjective norms (SN), and intention (I) to consume a low-fat diet. Pre-menopausal women (n=278) were recruited through Cooperative Extension Service (CES) at seven Illinois sites. Approximately half served as controls receiving no education. The intervention consisted of six monthly education sessions, six months of fact sheet mailings, and four educational follow-up sessions. Knowledge, AT, SN, and I were measured at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Knowledge was measured using the CES Impact Indicators instrument; AT, SN, and I instruments were developed using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). T-tests were used to measure differences between treatments (T) and controls (C) and analysis of variance for differences among the time points. At baseline, there was no difference between T and C for knowledge, AT, SN, or I to consume a low-fat diet. There was no significant difference between T and C at later time periods for AT scores because scores were positive and remained so. For I, there was a significant difference between groups at six months (p=0.05) and 24 months (p=0.048), but I was strong at each time period for both T and C. For SN, there were no significant differences between T and C for any time period. Within the T group, education resulted in no significant difference at any time period for any variable except knowledge (p=0.000). None of the TRA or knowledge variables were correlated with body weight, fat, or waist:hip ratios, indicating that those more at CVD risk did not know more or have a different attitude or intention about their diet than those at lower risk. Regression analysis of TRA variables resulted in significant equations (p≤0.012) predicting intention to consume a low-fat diet for both T and C at each time period.

Condom use among high-risk heterosexual teens: A longitudinal analysis using the theory of reasoned action

This paper describes tests of traditional and augmented versions of Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). applied to condom use among high-risk heterosexually-active teens, drawn from a sexually transmitted disease clinic and a juvenile detention facility. In a longitudinal survey, predictor variables suggested by Ajzen and Fishbein (1980), plus condom use self-efficacy, attitude-norm interaction and gender, were measured at Time l. Condom use at Time 2, 3 months later, was regressed onto these variables. Support was found for the traditional TRA variables, but little support was found for the addition of self-efficacy. Implications for interventions to increase condom use among high-risk teens are discussed.

Children's Physical Activity Levels and Attitudes Towards Physical Activity

This study investigated the relationship between attitude towards physical activity and physical activity behaviour and the influence of gender and season on physical activity level in 45 primary school children, aged 9 to 11 years. Attitudes towards physical activity were assessed using two different theoretical approaches: the children's attitudes towards physical activity (CATPA) inventory and the theory of reasoned action (TRA) questionnaire. Physical activity behaviour was measured using Cale's (1994) self-report measure of physical activity. Approximately 50% of the children were categorised as 'inactive' based on cut-off points developed by Blair (1984). A 2 x 2 (gender x season) factorial analysis of variance showed that children partici pated in more moderate physical activity in the summer than in the winter (F(1,44) = 6.29, p&lt;.05) but there were no gender differences in physical activity levels. Descriptive statistics for the CATPA inventory showed that children generally exhibited positive attitudes towards physical activity. Mann-Whitney U tests for two independent samples revealed significant differences between the high-active and low-active children for the catharsis, health and fitness, vertigo and aesthetic subdomains from the CATPA inventory (p&lt;.05). None of the TRA variables showed any significant differences for activity level. Present results suggest that some attitude variables from the CATPA inventory differ according to children's physical activity levels and thereby emphasise the need for physical educators to foster positive attitudes towards physical activity in order to encourage children to adopt and maintain healthy and active lifestyles.

A psychosocial perspective in the explanation of patients' drug-taking behavior

The goal of this study was to examine the applicability of the Health Belief (HBM) and Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) models in predicting drug-taking compliance behavior among female patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents were compliant, 25% finished all of their medication, but missed one or more doses during the course of therapy, and 37% did not finish all of their medication as directed. Two HBM and three TRA variables had a statistically significant relationship with compliance: barriers and benefits (HBM) and belief strength, outcome evaluation, and behavioral intention (TRA). HBM variables explained 10% of the variance in the compliance variable. Adding the TRA variables to the model explained an additional 19% of the variance. Social influence variables (normative expectations, motivation to comply, and subjective norms) had a significant influence in the prediction of behavioral intention, but not in the prediction of compliance behavior. Suggestions for improving compliance based on these findings include: simplification of drug therapy by customizing and simplifying the regimen, continued patient reminders of the therapy's value, and benchmarks for patients to evaluate the success or failure of therapy. A frank and open discussion from the start of therapy about its complexity, the medication's side effects, time and fiscal constraints, and other factors which may modify patients' perception of the likelihood of compliance is an important key to improving patients' compliance behavior.