Exploring novel determinants of exercise behavior: a lagged exposure-wide approachLee, Harold H; Kim, Eric S; Kim, Younseo; Conroy, David E; VanderWeele, Tyler J
2025 Annals of Behavioral Medicine
doi: 10.1093/abm/kaae082pmid: 39756405
Many middle-aged to older adults do not engage in regular exercise at all, despite its importance for healthy aging. Extensive research grounded in behavioral and social science theories has identified numerous determinants of exercise. However, few studies used an exposure-wide approach, a data-driven exploratory method particularly useful for identifying novel determinants.Methods: We used data from 13 771 participants in the Health and Retirement Study, a diverse, national panel study of adults aged >50 years in the United States, to evaluate 62 candidate determinants of exercise participation. Candidate predictors were drawn from the following domains: health behaviors, physical health, psychological well-being, psychological distress, social factors, and work. We used Poisson regression with robust error variance to individually regress exercise in the outcome wave (t2: 2014/2016) on baseline candidate predictors (at t1: 2010/2012) controlling for all covariates in the previous wave (t0: 2006/2008).Results: Some physical health conditions (eg, physical functioning limitations and lung disease), psychological factors (eg, health mastery, purpose in life, and positive affect), and social factors (eg, helping others, religious service attendance, and volunteering) were robustly associated with increased subsequent exercise. Among factors related to psychological distress, perceived constraints stood out as a factor in reducing exercise.Conclusions: We identified potentially novel exercise determinants, such as helping friends/neighbors/relatives, religious attendance, and volunteering, that have not been captured using a theory-driven approach. Future studies validating these findings experimentally in midlife and older adults are needed.
Health-related social control in overweight romantic couples: daily associations with physical activity and affect for targets and agentsKüng, Pascal; Berli, Corina; Höhener, Patrick S; Tobias, Robert; Scholz, Urte
2025 Annals of Behavioral Medicine
doi: 10.1093/abm/kaae093pmid: 39774604
BackgroundPhysical activity is essential for health and wellbeing. However, many individuals fail to reach the recommended levels and obesity rates are increasing. Health-related social control refers to strategies employed by 1 person (agent) to influence another person’s (target) health behavior. These strategies can be classified into persuasion (eg, encouraging or motivating) or pressure (eg, nagging or coercing). However, much of the existing research is cross-sectional and mostly focuses on the experiences of the targets.PurposeThis study investigates how persuasion and pressure within overweight romantic couples relate to outcomes in both agents and targets. Specifically, it examines same-day associations with positive and negative affect, as well as physical activity.MethodsThis study is a secondary analysis of the 14-day follow-up period from a randomized controlled trial. Accelerometers and daily diaries tracked 99 overweight romantic couples. For each outcome and each partner, separate multilevel models were fitted.ResultsDaily persuasion used by agents was associated with increased physical activity in targets and a more favorable affect in agents. Daily pressure was not associated with the physical activity of either partner but was linked to a more unfavorable affect in the agent. Both persuasion and pressure were unrelated to the targets’ affect.ConclusionsHealth-related social control in romantic relationships relates to same-day outcomes of both agents and targets. Our findings suggest that health behavior change interventions and weight loss programs could benefit from encouraging persuasion and limiting pressure.
Provided and received positive and negative social control, relationship satisfaction, and sedentary behavior in parent-child dyadsSiwa, Maria; Banik, Anna; Szczuka, Zofia; Kulis, Ewa; Boberska, Monika; Wietrzykowska, Dominika; Knoll, Nina; DeLongis, Anita; Knäuper, Bärbel; Luszczynska, Aleksandra
2025 Annals of Behavioral Medicine
doi: 10.1093/abm/kaae092pmid: 39789895
BackgroundThe close relationship processes and health model and the dyadic health influence model posit that relationship beliefs (eg, relationship satisfaction) and influence strategies (eg, provision and receipt of positive and negative social control) mediate health behavior change. However, evidence for such mediation in parent-child dyads is limited.PurposeTwo complementary mediation hypotheses were tested: (1) social control forms indirect relationships with sedentary behavior (SB), via relationship satisfaction acting as a mediator; and (2) relationship satisfaction forms indirect relationships with SB, with social control operating as a mediator.MethodsData from 247 parent-child dyads (9- to 15-year-old children) were analyzed using manifest mediation models. SB was measured with GT3X-BT accelerometers at Time 1 (T1; baseline) and Time 3 (T3; 8-month follow-up). Relationship satisfaction and social control were assessed at T1 and Time 2 (T2; 2-month follow-up). Path analysis models, controlling for baseline SB, were fit.ResultsReceived positive control (children, T1) was associated with higher relationship satisfaction in both children and parents (T2), which in turn were related to lower and higher parental SB at T3, respectively. Provided positive control (parents; T1) was related to higher SB (T3) in children. Relationship satisfaction among children (T1) predicted higher levels of received positive and negative control (children, T2).ConclusionsProvided and received positive social control may form direct and indirect associations with SB in parent-child dyads. Future research may need to consider further subtypes of positive control, which may explain the divergent effects of this form of control on SB.
A scoping review of empirical research on firearms and firearm violence among sexual and gender minority populations in the United StatesCorrell-King, Wesley M; Crifasi, Cassandra; Gamarel, Kristi E
2025 Annals of Behavioral Medicine
doi: 10.1093/abm/kaae094pmid: 39774605
BackgroundFirearms-related health sciences research has documented disparities in fatal and nonfatal firearm injury impacting populations in the United States defined by race and ethnicity, age, gender, and geography. Recent reports from research and advocacy organizations have highlighted a need for this research to include sexual and gender minority (ie, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer [LGBTQ+]) populations to guide public health efforts to prevent homicide, suicide, and injury.PurposeThe current review examines and summarizes existing research related to firearms and LGBTQ+ populations in the United States.MethodsA search of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, LGBT Life, and Scopus was conducted in May 2024 using search strings related to LGBTQ+ populations, firearms, and suicide. Articles were included in this review if they were peer-reviewed, empirical studies assessing any construct related to firearms among LGBTQ+ people in the United States.ResultsUltimately, 35 studies were included. Constructs examined in included studies were suicide (n = 6), homicide (n = 4), responses to the Pulse nightclub shooting (n = 9), nonfatal interpersonal violence (n = 4), and firearm access and ownership (n = 12).ConclusionsFindings identified substantial gaps in the literature, underscoring an urgent need for LGBTQ+ health researchers and firearm injury prevention researchers to collaboratively extend and improve the evidence base on firearms among LGBTQ+ populations. Key recommendations include improving Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity data collection in firearms research, collecting original data to address LGBTQ+-specific and LGBTQ+-inclusive research questions regarding firearms, broadening the scope of firearms constructs assessed among LGTBQ+ populations, and using intersectionality to guide future research.