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Control Constructs: Do They Mediate the Relation between Educational Attainment and Health Behaviour?

Journal of Health PsychologyPublished 1 May 2003
Anette Leganger, Pål Kraft
Citations111
SJR quartileQ2
SJR score1.03
SNIP1.21

TL;DR

The results showed that women with higher education had higher intentions to consume fruit/vegetables and consumed fruit/ vegetables more frequently and these control beliefs partly mediated the education–intention/behaviour relationship.

Abstract

Health promoting behaviours seem to be more prevalent among people with higher socio-economic status (SES). The main purpose of this article was to study (a) the relationship between education (as a dimension of SES) and intention and health behaviour (fruit/vegetable consumption), (b) the relationship between education and control conceptualizations (health locus of control (HLC), response-efficacy and self-efficacy) and (c) to what extent the relationship between education and intention/health behaviour (fruit/vegetable consumption) was mediated through different control beliefs. The results showed that women with higher education had higher intentions to consume fruit/vegetables and consumed fruit/vegetables more frequently. Higher education was associated with higher self-efficacy and response-efficacy beliefs and less belief in HLC-chance. These control beliefs partly mediated the education-intention/behaviour relationship.

Keywords

PsychologyHealth Professions