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Two important factors when deciding which measures to use in health
research would be the type of behavior being examined and
the age of the population being assessed. For health-promoting
behaviors, such as those related to diet and nutrition, medical
regimen, sun protection, exercise, etc., standard BI measures
should work well, especially if accompanied by implementation
intentions—where and when to exercise, which diet to
follow, or which sunscreen to use. If the behaviors are complex
and control is an issue, then these BI items should be accompanied
by measures of perceived control. By the same token, if there
is reason to believe that commitment to the intention or goal
is tenuous, or if the behavior has a clear social desirability
element associated with it, or, again, if perceived (or actual)
control is low, such as with weight loss or smoking cessation,
then BE measures may do better than BI (it's not likely they
will do worse). Finally, much health behavior research concerns
health risk, which often has a significant "social reaction"
component (Webb
& Sheeran, 2006)
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Webb, T. L., & Sheeran, P. (2006) Does changing behavioral
intentions engender behavior change? A meta-analysis of the
experimental evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 132,
249-268.," especially for adolescents. Performance
of these behaviors often depends on the situation. The best
way to assess these kinds of behaviors would be to use BW
as well as BE measures, and, if possible, measures of intention
to not engage in the behavior.
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