Self-regulatory cognitions, social comparison, and perceived peers’ behaviors as predictors of nutrition and physical activity: a comparison among adolescents in Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and USA

Abstract

This study investigated whether the effects of self-regulatory cognitions and social influence variables on healthy behaviors – nutrition and physical activity – vary across countries. Adolescents (N = 2387) from Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and the USA participated in the study. Measures included self-efficacy, future orientation, social comparison orientation (SCO), perceived behaviors of peers, as well as age and gender. These variables were included in the path model as predictors of healthy behaviors. The role of a country as a moderator was also examined. Results showed that self-efficacy, SCO, and perceived behaviors of peers predicted both health-promoting behaviors in all four countries. Some differences were found regarding the role of future orientation and gender.

Keywords:

• Health cognitions
• Cross-cultural research
• Self-efficacy

Acknowledgments

Aleksandra Luszczynska is Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. Data collection in Poland was supported by BW 1536/5 grant. The Hungarian part of the study was supported by the OKTK B.1915/02/V grant of the National Social Science Research Foundation, Hungary, and a Bolyai Research Fellowship. The Turkish part of the study was supported by Ege University Research Projects Fund 2001EDB002. We would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

Notes

Based on a factor analysis of the original 12-item CFC scale, 5 high-loading, representative items were chosen. These items were then modified slightly so that they could be better understood by adolescents as young as age 14.