A Psychosocial Intervention: Perceived

Behavioural Control and Breakfast Eating

Frequency Emily Kothe & Barbara Mullan

School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Australia

In Australia approximately 39% of young

adults eat breakfast less than 5 days per

week, with 15% reporting rarely or never

eating breakfast (Australian Bureau of

Statistics, 1997)

Recent research has shown that the

Theory of Planned Behaviour [TPB] (Azjen,

1991) can be meaningfully applied to

breakfast consumption (Wong & Mullan,

2008), and may be a fruitful avenue for an

intervention targeting breakfast eating

frequency.

As expected TPB variables at baseline were

found to predict breakfast consumption.

The intervention led to significant increases in

subjective norm…

and PBC over the course of the study

compared to the control condition.

This study considered the use of a

theoretically derived breakfast eating

intervention based on the TPB.

The aim of the study was to examine the

effects of a brief, web-based, psychosocial

intervention targeting PBC and

supplemented by implementation

intentions.

The influence of the intervention on

attitude, subjective norm, perceived

behaviour control [PBC], intention and

behaviour was investigated.

A randomised controlled trial was

conducted to determine the outcomes of

the intervention at four week follow-up.

Participants (N=74) were randomly

allocated to either the control or

intervention group.

TPB variables and behaviour were

measured at baseline and four weeks later.

Within and between group differences on

target variables were considered and

regression analyses were conducted to

determine the relationship between

condition, TPB variables, intention, and

behaviour

Purpose

Methods

Results

Figure 1. Sample 1 of the intervention task

However, changes in TPB variables were not

a significant predictor of change in breakfast

consumption between baseline and follow-up

when controlling for condition.

Conclusion

References

Figure 2. Sample 2 of the intervention task

Attitudes

Subjective Norm

PBC

Intention

Behaviour

-0.024

.197

.535**

.704**

.187

R2 = .368**

R2 = .520**

Figure 2: Model 1 with standardized regression coefficients (β). (Note * p <.05; ** p<.001)

Figure 4.

Subjective

Norm over

Time by

Group

Figure 5.

PBC over

Time by

Group

Subjective Norm

Change

Behaviour

Change

R2 =.074

Figure 6: Change in TPB variables as a predictor of change

in behaviour with standardized regression coefficients (β). (Note * p <.05; **p<.001)

Attitude

Change

PBC

Change

Condition

-.008

.528**

.267** .265

-.126

.082

The intervention does appear to be effective

in changing target cognitions, however

changes in these thought processes do not

appear to be effectively translated to changes

in behaviour.

Therefore interventions need to consider how

best to transform these changed cognitions

into changes in behaviour.

Acknowledgments

This study would not have been possible without the time

and effort of those who participated in this research. As

always they have our deepest gratitude. The authors would

also like to thank Rajith Amaratunga and Cara Wong for their

support.

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior

and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1997). National Nutrition Survey:

Selected Highlights, Australia, 1995 Canberra.

Wong, C., & Mullan, B. (2008). Predicting Breakfast Consumption: An

application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the

Investigation of Past Behaviour and Executive Function. British

Journal of Health Psychology. (In Press)