Maternal-Fetal Disease Information as a Source of Exercise Motivation During Pregnancy

• Published in: Health psychology 2009-11, Vol.28 (6), p.726-733
• Main Authors: Gaston, Anca, Prapavessis, Harry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Exercise; Female; Fetus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Humans; Illness and personality; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical - prevention & control; Information; Mothers; Motivation; Obstetrical Complications; Ontario; Personality, behavior and health; Physical activity; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Protective Factors; Psychological Theory; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vulnerability; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0278-6133; 1930-7810
• DOI: 10.1037/a0016702

Objective: A Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) framework was used to examine whether information about the role of exercise in preventing maternal-fetal disease served as a meaningful source of exercise motivation. Design: Pregnant women ( n = 208) were randomly assigned into one of three conditions: PMT, attention control, and noncontact control. Women in the PMT group read a brochure about the benefits of exercise during pregnancy incorporating the major components of PMT; perceived vulnerability (PV), perceived severity (PS), response efficacy (RE), and self-efficacy (SE). Participants in the attention-control condition read a brochure about diet. Following treatment, all participants completed measures of their beliefs toward maternal-fetal disease and exercise, goal intention (GI), and implementation intention (IMI). One week later, a measure of self-reported exercise behavior was collected. Main Outcome Measures: Main outcome measures were PMT variables (PV, PS, RE, and SE), GI, IMI, and follow-up physical activity. Results: Participants assigned to the PMT-present group reported significantly higher PS, RE, SE, GI, and increased exercise behavior. PS, RE, and SE predicted GI, GI predicted IMI, and IMI predicted exercise behavior. Conclusion: Information grounded in PMT is effective in influencing pregnant women's beliefs and intentions as well as changing their initial behavior.