REASONED ACTION AND SOCIAL REACTION - WILLINGNESS AND INTENTION AS INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF HEALTH RISK

Three studies are described that assess elements of a new model of ado lescent health-risk behavior. the prototype/willingness (P/W) model(F. X. Gibbons & hi. Gerrard, 1995, 1997. The ist analysis examined wheth er a central element of the prototype model,behavioral willingness, ad ds significantly to behavioral expectation in predicting adolescents' smoking behavior. The 2nd set of analyses used structural-equation-mod eling procedures to provide the Ist test of the complete model in pred icting college students' pregnancy-risk behavior. Finally, the 3rd stu dy used confirmatory factor analysis to assess the independence of ele ments of the model from similar elements in other health behavior mode ls. Results of the 3 studies provided support for the prototype model and,in particular, for 2 of it:, primary contentions: (a) that much ad olescent health-risk behavior is not planned and (b) that willingness and intention are related but independent constructs, each of which ca n be an antecedent to risk behavior.