R. Schwarzer et B. Renner, Social-cognitive predictors of health behavior: Action self-efficacy and coping self-efficacy, HEALTH PSYC, 19(5), 2000, pp. 487-495
The effects of social-cognitive variables on preventive nutrition and behav
ioral intentions were studied in 580 adults at 2 points in time. The author
s hypothesized that optimistic sell-beliefs operate in 2 phases and made a
distinction between action self-efficacy (preintention) and coping self-eff
icacy (postintention). Risk perceptions, outcome expectancies, and action s
elf-efficacy were specified as predictors of the intention at Wave 1. Behav
ioral intention anl coping self-efficacy served as mediators linking the 3
predictors with low-fat and high-fiber dietary intake 6 months later at Wav
e 2. Covariance structure analysis yielded a good model fit for the total s
ample and 6 subsamples created by a median split of 3 moderators: gender, a
ge, and body weight. Parameter estimates differed between samples; the impo
rtance of perceived self-efficacy increased with age;and weight.