Journal of Health Psychology最新文献

Adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds face disproportionate risks to health and well-being, underscoring the need for targeted, evidence-based interventions. Systematic extraction of active ingredients in interventions can inform the design of more effective interventions. This study aims to (1) identify Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) and Mechanisms of Actions (MoAs) used to change behaviour in the '11 for Health' programme, (2) interview programme receivers and deliverers exploring their experiences with BCTs and MoAs. Twenty-four BCTs were coded in the manual with 10 associated MoAs. Thematic analysis of interviews generated 16 codes for adolescents and 17 for teachers, each mapped onto BCTs. Adolescents highlighted, 'social support' and 'agree outcome goal', while teachers emphasised 'social support' and 'information about health consequences'. Further research is needed to substantiate whether potential refinements to the programme and inclusion of new BCTs, as identified in the interviews, could lead to enhanced effectiveness and long-term impact of the programme.Trial registration: This is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial, which has been registered at: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03647007.

Guided by self-determination theory, this study investigated the bidirectional relationship between insomnia and short video addiction as well as their associations with mental health symptoms among Chinese firefighters during the organizational restructuring period (2018-2023). Utilizing a cross-sectional design with data from 3657 firefighters, LV-SEM was conducted. The findings revealed that both insomnia and short video addiction were directly associated with mental health symptoms and were associated with mental health symptoms through a chain mediation involving perceived social support and flourishing. Network analysis also demonstrated significant positive associations between insomnia and short video addiction, as well as between perceived social support and flourishing, with insomnia showing a stronger association with mental health symptoms. These results provide important implications for developing mental health interventions for firefighters, suggesting that priority be given to regulating short video use, enhancing social support, promoting flourishing, and improving sleep quality to comprehensively improve firefighters' mental health.

Gender incongruence increasingly leads individuals to seek gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgeries. In Italy, however, general healthcare services often lack the specialization needed to address the specific needs. With a person-centered approach and a qualitative methodology, this study explores individual perspectives on promoting transgender and gender diverse people's well-being and highlights the relationship between gender incongruence, psychosocial health, and healthcare access. Seventeen participants aged 19-31 years old who experienced gender incongruence or gender dysphoria and sought medical or psychological support for hormone therapy attended a semi-structured interview processed through Thematic Analysis. Findings revealed significant barriers to adequate healthcare and social support, negatively impacting participants' well-being. Mediating factors such as peer awareness, family acceptance, and inclusive education emerged as protective. The study also discusses broader societal consequences of insufficient support and presents useful strategies to develop affirmative and inclusive practices aimed at improving access to care and psychosocial outcomes.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a progressive neurological disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system, with symptoms such as fatigue, pain and muscle weakness that can hinder engagement in health-promoting behaviours, including healthy eating. This study explored enablers and barriers to healthy eating among adults with CMT, using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the COM-B model. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 women and 5 men (aged 25-73). Data were analysed using framework analysis. Identified barriers included symptom-related fatigue, particularly during periods of high demand (e.g. workdays), limited lifestyle-focused guidance in routine healthcare interactions and physical environmental constraints. Key enablers comprised meal planning, social support from family and online communities, recognition of the mental and physical benefits of healthy eating and access to resources that helped mitigate physical limitations. These findings provide a foundation for developing evidence-based, context-sensitive dietary interventions tailored to the lived experiences of individuals with CMT.

Adverse Childhood experiences (ACEs) have been widely associated with long-term difficulties. However, their impact during the prenatal period remains unexplored, particularly in non-English-speaking populations. This study aims to examine the cumulative and differential effects of ACEs on several psychological and physical health indicators during pregnancy. A total of 306 pregnant women (mean age = 34.69; SD = 3.91) provided retrospective information on ACEs and current information about depressive symptoms, adjustment to pregnancy, physical illness, psychological problems, and therapy attendance. ACE exposure significantly predicted depressive symptoms, maladjustment to pregnancy, psychological problems and therapy attendance. Among specific ACEs, emotional neglect emerged as the strongest predictor of these mental health outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of identifying and addressing ACEs in pregnant women. Integrating ACEs-informed approaches into prenatal care and implementing routine prenatal screening could help detect at-risk women and provide support to improve maternal and infant outcomes.

This study investigated relationships of internalized weight stigma (IWS) with acceptance of weight-loss treatment resources and weight-loss treatment preferences. Adults with obesity (N = 157) reported on IWS, weight-loss desire, eating self-efficacy (ESE), and treatment preferences. Participants expressing weight-loss desire were offered weight-loss treatment resources and asked to accept/decline them. Binary logistic regression examined whether IWS was associated with accepting weight-loss treatment resources, and ESE as a moderator. Exploratory analyses tested associations between IWS and treatment preferences. Participants with higher (vs lower) IWS had significantly higher odds of accepting weight-loss treatment resources (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: [1.12-2.05]). ESE did not moderate this relationship. In exploratory analyses, higher IWS was associated with greater interest in psychological intervention for IWS combined with weight-loss treatment. IWS was not associated with most preferences (e.g. group vs individual or in-person vs video sessions) when accounting for weight-loss desire. Further research should clarify how IWS affects treatment acceptance.

Reluctance to disclose new mental or physical health symptoms and seek healthcare can be exacerbated among pilots due to fear of jeopardizing one's aviation career. The current qualitative study focused on undergraduate pilot trainees' beliefs about healthcare and help seeking behaviors. Individual semi-structured virtual interviews were completed with 28 undergraduate pilot trainees to identify barriers to symptom disclosure and health care service utilization. Six thematic barriers to help seeking were identified, including (lack of) health system literacy, fear, delay in seeking care, lack of understanding the FAA aeromedical process, trust, and financial constraints. These findings contribute to understanding healthcare avoidant behavior among aviators early in their training and have implications for industry leaders in considering revisions to health-related communications, education, and services available to pilot trainees and across the aviation industry more broadly.

Colorectal and lung cancers are among the most common and deadly worldwide, often carrying significant stigma-especially when linked to preventable behaviors like drinking and smoking. Alcohol increases colorectal cancer risk, while smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, leading to perceptions of self-infliction that can worsen distress, delay diagnosis, and hinder treatment. This study is the first to compare the acceptability of smoking versus drinking in cancer contexts. Using a factorial design, 132 community members and 126 healthcare professionals evaluated 72 scenarios varying by cancer type, behavior levels, diagnosis stage, post-diagnosis behavior, and activity level. Overall, drinking was viewed as more acceptable than smoking, especially among those physically active or who quit post-diagnosis. Healthcare professionals were slightly more accepting than the general public. Notably, stigma around smoking lessened at advanced cancer stages. Findings suggest the need for stigma-reducing interventions and more compassionate, nonjudgmental care in oncology settings.

Obesity is widespread in the U.S., and off-label use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic for weight loss is rising. This study applies the Health Belief Model to analyze electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on social media related to GLP-1 medications and proposes a conceptual hybrid model for co-creation in social networks. A reflexive thematic analysis of three YouTube videos by patient influencer @TheHangryWoman and 3,748 corresponding comments was conducted, revealing that eWOM intensifies fears around obesity and promotes GLP-1 benefits like appetite suppression, weight loss, and improved body image. Users also share strategies of how to navigate barriers such as cost, side effects, and medication shortages. The findings show how eWOM and algorithms drive awareness and may normalize off-label use, raising concerns about misinformation and public health risks. This research contributes to health behavior theory in digital contexts and highlights the need for critical engagement with unregulated information online.

Open label placebos (OLPs) refer to the non-deceptive administration of inert treatment. This pre-registered study (AsPrediced#139837) explored the role of expectations and tailored health feedback on the OLP effect using an automated online procedure. Healthy participants (N = 293) were randomised to a 10-day course of OLP pills with veridical feedback (OLP-Feedback: N = 92), without feedback (OLP-Standard: N = 105), or to a no-treatment control (NTC: N = 96). Participants were informed the pills were inert but may enhance wellbeing. Wellbeing was assessed at baseline, day-5 and day-10. Feedback was delivered on day-5 and day-10 via interactive graphs and descriptive statistics. OLP-treatment significantly improved wellbeing (negative emotions and sleep quality), while feedback did not significantly enhance this effect. Expectations for improvement were significantly elevated among OLP-treated participants across the 10-day study. However, at the individual level, expectations only mediated OLP outcomes once treatment experience had been acquired. Results reconcile inconsistencies in the literature regarding mechanisms.