Emma L Davies, Jennifer Seddon, Fiona Matley, Eila Watson, Abigail K Rose
{"title":"Supporting alcohol change in mid-life women: focus group insights informing refinement of the SPACES intervention logic model.","authors":"Emma L Davies, Jennifer Seddon, Fiona Matley, Eila Watson, Abigail K Rose","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2734873","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2734873","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Logic model refinement is an underreported stage of complex intervention development. SPACES (Storytelling Promoting Alcohol Choice, Empowerment and Sharing) combines narratives with Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) to support alcohol reduction among mid-life women. This study aimed to refine the logic model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eight online focus groups were conducted with 20 mid-life women and 12 other stakeholders. Theory-informed reflexive thematic analysis used the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) framework to examine drinking influences and inequalities. A public advisory group informed study materials and interpretation of findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five themes described inequality-related influences on drinking and engagement with support: (1) structural inequalities shaped physical opportunity; (2) gendered norms shaped social opportunity; (3) emotional load shaped automatic motivation; (4) cognitive bandwidth shaped psychological capability; and (5) identity and stigma shaped reflective motivation. Environmental restructuring, emotional/social support and alcohol-free activities were supported. Information, alcohol-free and low-alcohol product substitution and goal-setting were acceptable for some but required adaptation to avoid exacerbating inequalities. Findings informed refinements to COM-B determinants, BCTs, delivery through stories and toolkits, and hypothesised mechanisms of action.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides a worked example of inequality-sensitive logic model refinement and a strong foundation for SPACES prototyping and feasibility testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Social cognition pathways linking socio-demographic and individual-level factors to energy drink consumption in undergraduates.","authors":"D J Phipps, M Puupponen, N Browning, K Hamilton","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2734872","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2734872","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Although energy drinks are marketed as enhancers of cognitive and physical performance, excess consumption has been linked to adverse health outcomes. This study examined the mediating role of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) constructs in the relationships between health literacy, sensation seeking, age, and gender and energy drink consumption.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A sample of 225 undergraduate students was recruited (<i>M</i> age = 19.03, <i>SD</i> age = 1.84; 74 male, 148 female, 3 non-binary) for a two-wave prospective design with a two-week time lag.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Multi-group PLS-SEM stratified by perceived economic status (PES) revealed energy drink consumption was associated with intention, which in turn was explained by affective attitude, instrumental attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control (PBC), and PBC moderated the relationship between intention and behaviour. The effects of health literacy and sensation seeking on consumption were fully mediated through TPB constructs. Among higher PES participants, health literacy exhibited stronger associations with attitudinal constructs, whereas gendered effects on subjective norms were evident only in the average-or-lower PES subgroup.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings suggest the correlates of energy drink consumption differ from those typically associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and may vary across demographic subgroups, although the generally high PES of the sample should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Victoria A Suhy, Abigail M Pauley, Owen Griffith, Jamie Whitney, Danielle Symons Downs
{"title":"Pregnancy brain? Relationships between meeting prenatal physical activity guidelines, stress, anxiety, cognitive functioning in pregnancy and postpartum.","authors":"Victoria A Suhy, Abigail M Pauley, Owen Griffith, Jamie Whitney, Danielle Symons Downs","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2733983","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2733983","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines and regulating mood may protect perinatal women from cognitive changes, however, scant research has examined these factors. This study examined whether PA and mood (anxiety/depressive symptoms) were associated with pre-and postnatal cognitive failures (perception/memory/action lapses).</p><p><strong>Methods and measures: </strong>Pregnant women (<i>N</i> = 56) from a longitudinal cohort study completed measures at 28-30 wks gestation and 6 wks postpartum. To track within-person PA/mood patterns from pregnancy to postpartum, women were grouped by PA guideline adherence and mood symptoms at both, one, or neither timepoint. General linear models assessed associations; exploratory analyses examined whether PA modified relationships.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher prenatal mood symptoms were associated with greater prenatal and postpartum cognitive failures. Although PA was not directly associated with perinatal cognition, PA moderated prenatal mood-cognitive failures associations such that cognitive failures increased with depressive symptoms at a lower rate for the meet PA guidelines group and increased with anxiety symptoms at a lower rate for the not meet postpartum PA guidelines.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Better perinatal mood regulation was associated with fewer cognitive failures. Meeting PA guidelines may help women regulate the mood-cognitive failures relationship in pregnancy, but may not have the same impact in postpartum. Future research should examine dynamical changes in PA, mood, and cognitive failures to identify effective interventions and understand long-term impacts of childbirth on maternal cognition.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-27"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149012842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"No effect of acknowledging resistance or using autonomy-supportive language in vlogs on sustainable consumption intentions of emerging adults.","authors":"Thabo J van Woudenberg, Daniëlle N M Bleize","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2734866","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2734866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The production and consumption of red meat is a considerable source of environmental harm, underscoring the need to reduce red meat consumption. Emerging adults (ages 18-25 y/o) are disproportionately affected by the future consequences of climate change. However, meat eaters often react negatively to the promotion of plant-based alternatives. In this study, we tested whether acknowledging resistance and using autonomy-supportive language can promote a more sustainable diet in emerging adults.</p><p><strong>Methods and measures: </strong>The online experiment used a 2 (acknowledging resistance: yes vs. no) x 2 (autonomy-supportive language: yes vs. no) factorial between-subjects design in which participants were exposed to a vlog. After exposure, participants indicated their intention to consume red meat and plant-based alternatives using 7-point Likert scales.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Bayesian analyses show that emerging adults experience less controlling intent and more autonomy support in the autonomy-supportive language conditions. But acknowledging resistance or using autonomy-supportive language is not effective in altering sustainable consumption intentions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We conclude that emerging adults experience vlogs with autonomy-supportive language more positively, but these messages do not enhance the intention to adopt a more sustainable diet.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149008813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Feasibility studies and pilot trials in behavioral intervention research.","authors":"Kenneth E Freedland","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2734871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2734871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Feasibility studies and pilot trials are essential tools in health-related behavioural intervention research. The purposes of this paper are to highlight recent advances in feasibility and pilot trial methodology, examine common deficiencies in pilot trials, and offer solutions that can help to improve the quality and efficiency of intervention research in behavioural medicine.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Narrative review.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In behavioural intervention research, feasibility studies are conducted to determine whether full-fledged efficacy or effectiveness trials can be successfully conducted. Feasibility progression criteria enable investigators to make decisions about readiness to propose a full-fledged trial. Pilot trials are feasibility studies that resemble the anticipated full-fledged trial but with a much smaller sample size. Both internal and external pilot trials are feasibility studies, but they are conducted at different points in the process of intervention research and serve different purposes. Other kinds of early-phase studies are often needed to produce preliminary data about interventions and outcomes that are outside the scope of feasibility aims.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>When properly designed and conducted, feasibility studies and pilot trials can help to ensure the successful completion and improve the quality of clinical trials in health psychology and other fields, as well as to enhance the efficiency of health-related behavioural intervention research.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148991135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"After-hours digital demands and police stress: moderating roles of personality, leadership, and team-member interaction.","authors":"Cheng-Chung Cho, Rui-Hsin Kao","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2731568","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2731568","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>After-hours digital demands are conceptualised as a specific form of technologically mediated job demand that extends work boundaries and may constrain opportunities for recovery. using generalised structural equation modelling and hierarchical linear modelling, results show that after-hours digital demands are positively associated with job stress and burnout and negatively associated with quality of life. personality moderation was not uniform: </strong>only extraversion significantly moderated the after-hours digital demand-stress association, and the positive interaction indicated an amplifying rather than buffering pattern.These findings highlight the importance of organisational boundary governance and cautious interpretation of individual-difference effects when managing after-hours connectivity demands. Because the study is cross-sectional, these implications should be interpreted as organisational options to be evaluated rather than as evidence that any specific intervention is more effective than another.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-31"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148991146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hannah Isaac, Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell, Sarah Giunta, Kyra Webb, Haryana M Dhillon, Helen M Haydon, Joanne Shaw
{"title":"Do carers of people with a chronic illness desire and seek psychological support? A quantitative systematic review.","authors":"Hannah Isaac, Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell, Sarah Giunta, Kyra Webb, Haryana M Dhillon, Helen M Haydon, Joanne Shaw","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2697156","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2697156","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This review systematically quantified engagement with psychological services among carers of people with chronic physical illness by determining the (a) prevalence and correlates of interest in, intention to access and use of services; and (b) availability of carer-specific interventions to increase psychological support-seeking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We systematically searched four databases for quantitative peer-reviewed articles published from 2005 to 2025. Data was analysed descriptively using narrative synthesis. Study quality was assessed using internationally recognised tools.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-nine studies were included. While many carers perceived a need for psychological support, comparatively few accessed support. Carers' desire for support was often rated as secondary to practical and patient-orientated services. Younger age, higher education and female gender were commonly associated with support interest and uptake. Carers were more likely to intend to access support after being proactively offered services. Two screening and referral pathway interventions were identified. Neither specifically focused on psychological support or increased service uptake.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our review highlights the need to facilitate psychological support-seeking among carers. Screening and referral pathway interventions provide important mechanisms to identify carer needs and appropriate support services but may require complementary strategies to bolster support-seeking, including highlighting the benefits of support, validating carer needs and addressing attitudinal barriers.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148977744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of 'no safe level' and 'cutting down' alcohol messages on problem recognition, defensive processing, and self-efficacy in heavy drinkers: a randomized experimental study.","authors":"James Morris, Harry Tattan-Birch","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2731572","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2731572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study tested a <i>no safe level</i> of alcohol consumption message on psychological outcomes relevant to drinking behaviour, compared with a gain-framed <i>benefits of cutting down</i> message. Adults drinking at risky or harmful levels (AUDIT-<i>C</i> ≥ 5; <i>N</i> = 485) were randomised to one of three messages: Control (<i>n</i> = 165), No Safe Level (<i>n</i> = 163), or Cutting Down (<i>n</i> = 157). Outcomes included problem recognition, defensive processing (message derogation, fear), risk recognition and self-efficacy. Compared with the control, the <i>No Safe Level</i> message increased problem recognition (standardised mean difference = 0.22, 95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.41]), elicited stronger fear (0.92, [0.73, 1.11]), and greater derogation (0.89, [0.69, 1.09]), but reduced self-efficacy (-0.23, [-0.43, -0.02]). The <i>Cutting Down</i> message modestly increased fear (0.30, [0.10, 0.49]) and reduced self-efficacy (-0.28, [-0.48, -0.08]) but had little effect on problem recognition or derogation. Neither message affected risk recognition. Direct comparison showed <i>No Safe Level</i> generated more fear and derogation than <i>Cutting Down</i>, but effects on problem recognition were uncertain. No moderation by drinking level was found. Overall, the <i>No Safe Level</i> message prompted mixed psychological responses, suggesting further attention is warranted to determine exactly what public health goals such messages may assist.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of theory-based interventions using behaviour change techniques in randomised controlled trials on vaccination behaviour: a meta-analysis.","authors":"Céline Bodelet, Soufian Azouaghe, Aurélie Gauchet","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2731574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2731574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This meta-analysis examined behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used in theory-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) targeting vaccination uptake. Electronic databases identified 44 studies (<i>N</i> = 428,931).</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>This review was conducted from September to December 2020 and updated in April 2024. It included RCTs with quantitative vaccination behaviour data. RCT quality was assessed using the Cochrane criteria, Theme Coding Scheme and Quality of Survey Studies in Psychology checklist. BCTs were coded using the taxonomy version 1.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>The review included RCTs with quantitative vaccination behaviour data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Interventions had a statistically significant effect on vaccination uptake (<i>OR</i> = 1.56, 95% CI [1.33, 1.81]), with substantial heterogeneity. There was no evidence that BCTs classified as <i>improbable</i> were associated with lower intervention efficacy (<i>p<sub>s</sub></i> ≥ .48). Several individual BCTs were associated with larger effects relative to control groups, including BCT 1.2 <i>Problem solving</i> (<i>OR</i> = 1.76, 95% CI [1.30, 2.40]) and BCT 5.3 <i>Information about social and environmental consequences</i> (<i>OR</i> = 1.88, 95%CI [1.37, 2.58]). Some BCT combinations showed descriptively larger effect sizes. For example, BCT 5.3 <i>Information about social and environmental consequences</i> and 13.2 <i>Framing/reframing</i> were associated with larger effects relative to control groups (<i>OR</i> = 3.05, 95%CI [1.58, 5.90]). Moderators had no statistically significant effects (<i>p<sub>s</sub></i> ≥ .57).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings identify promising BCTs and highlight the potential value of combining techniques.</p><p><strong>Pre-registration: </strong>This study was registered with the Centre for Open Science (OSF): https://osf.io/eyrq8/.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Associations between illness belief dimensions, illness clusters, health and well-being indicators among adults with type 2 diabetes: findings from the PREDICT cohort study.","authors":"Timothy Skinner, Holmes-Truscott Elizabeth, Sacre Julian, Magliano Dianna, Blackberry Irene, Shaw Jonathan, Speight Jane","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2026.2727407","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2727407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The common sense model posits that illness beliefs form distinct clusters and these are associated with self-care and well-being, but few studies have examined this. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in a large diabetes cohort.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Participants of the PREDICT cohort study completed validated measures of illness beliefs, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, diabetes distress, self-care and provided biomedical data, including HbA1c at baseline recruitment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One thousand five hundred and eighty-six participants with type 2 diabetes (37% female, mean 65 years old, median 11 years diabetes duration), were found to form four clusters: Resigned (20%), Adapters (28%), Symptomatic (28%), Acute (17%). Adapters had lower BMI, HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes distress, depressive and anxiety symptoms and had higher HDL and were more active than all other clusters. The Symptomatic cluster were diagnosed younger, had diabetes longer, more likely to be taking insulin, have had foot ulcers/amputation, had more depressive and anxiety symptoms with greater diabetes distress but drank less alcohol. Regression analysis indicated illness beliefs were more strongly associated, with self-care, health and well-being indicators than cluster membership.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Adults with type 2 diabetes can be categorised into distinct clusters of illness beliefs, but individual beliefs are better predictors of self-care and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148920907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}