Can the theory of planned behaviour predict maintenance of a frequently repeated behaviour?

Abstract

The present study used the theory of planned behaviour to predict self-monitoring of blood glucose in patients with type 1 diabetes. Sixty-four adult patients with type 1 diabetes completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of the TPB in addition to demographic variables and a measure of conscientiousness. Self-report measures of daily self-monitoring behaviour were obtained for a two-week period. The extended model predicted 46% of the variance in behavioural intention and 57% of variance in self-monitoring behaviour, suggesting that the TPB is able to predict useful levels of variance, comparable to initiation, even in familiar and frequently repeated maintenance behaviours. Implications of these results are discussed.

Keywords:

• Theory of planned behaviours
• health behaviours
• maintenance

Acknowledgements

This work was completed while Aparna Shankar was a student at the University of Leeds and was funded by a Commonwealth Scholarship.

Notes

1. This composite measure was also highly correlated with the objective measure of behaviour (r = 0.99, N = 5, p < 0.001).