Adherence to the physical distancing measures during the COVID‐19 pandemic : a HAPA‐based perspective

in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being (2020), 12(4), 1224--1243

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic requires massive and rapid behavior change. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) describes personal determinants that play a key role in behavior change. This study ... [more ▼]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic requires massive and rapid behavior change. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) describes personal determinants that play a key role in behavior change. This study investigated whether these determinants are associated with adherence to physical distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID‐19 (i.e. keeping 1.5 m physical distance and staying at home). Decreased psychosocial well‐being and lack of social support were explored as barriers to adherence. 2,379; March 2020) focused on adherence to physical distancing measures. The second survey (N = 805; April 2020) focused on difficulty with, and perseverance in, adhering to these measures. Linear regression models were fitted to examine associations with HAPA determinants, psychosocial well‐being, and social support. Results: Self‐efficacy, outcome expectancies, intention, action planning, and coping planning were related to adhering to, difficulty with, and perseverance in, adhering to physical distancing measures. Decreased psychosocial well‐being and lack of social support were related to more difficulties with adhering to physical distancing and lower perseverance. Conclusions: Health action process approach determinants are associated with adherence to physical distancing measures. Future work could design HAPA‐based interventions to support people in adhering to these measures. [less ▲]

Resilience factors in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and their parents: the role of child and parent psychological flexibility.

in Pain Medicine (2018)

Objective: Chronic pain is central to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and is predictive of impaired functioning. Whereas most work has focused on identifying psychosocial risk factors for maladaptive ... [more ▼]

Objective: Chronic pain is central to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and is predictive of impaired functioning. Whereas most work has focused on identifying psychosocial risk factors for maladaptive outcomes, we explored the idea that child and parental psychological flexibility (PF) represent resilience factors for adaptive functioning of the child. We also explored differences between general versus pain-specific PF in contributing to child outcomes. Methods: Children with JIA (8-18 years) and (one of) their parents were recruited at the department of pediatric rheumatology at the Ghent University Hospital in Belgium. They completed questionnaires assessing child and parent general and pain-specific PF and child psychosocial and emotional functioning, and disability. Results: The final sample consisted of fifty-nine children and forty-eight parents. Multiple regression analyses revealed that child PF contributed to better psychosocial functioning and less negative affect. Child pain acceptance contributed to better psychosocial functioning, lower levels of disability and lower negative affect, and also buffered against the negative influence of pain intensity on disability. Bootstrap mediation analyses demonstrated that parental (general) PF indirectly contributed to child psychosocial functioning and affect via the child’s (general) PF. Parent pain-specific PF was indirectly linked to child psychosocial functioning, disability, and negative affect via child pain acceptance. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that child and parental PF are resilience factors and show that pain acceptance buffers against the negative impact of pain intensity. Implications for psychosocial interventions that target (pain-specific) PF in children as well as in parents are discussed. [less ▲]