Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Responses To Intimate Partners’ Attempts To Change Health Behavior: The Role Of Readiness, Kieran T. Sullivan, Lauri A. Pasch, Meredith Schreier, Melissa Healy

Psychology

Intimate partners seeking to influence one another’s health may do so by providing support for positive health behavior and attempting to change negative health behavior (social control). Research findings examining the effectiveness of intimate partners’ attempts to influence health behavior are mixed however, and the purpose of the present research is to examine individuals’ responses to hypothetical health behavior influence attempts by an intimate partner. Specifically, we examine the role of readiness to change, cognitive appraisals, and affective responses to partner change attempts. Undergraduate students (n = 185) who reported infrequent exercise or unhealthy eating habits were asked to …