Anticipated regret and health behavior: A meta-analysis.

Abstract

Objective Risk beliefs are central to most theories of health behavior, yet many unanswered questions remain about an increasingly studied risk construct, anticipated regret. We sought to better understand anticipated regret’s role in motivating health behaviors. Methods We systematically searched electronic databases for studies of anticipated regret and behavioral intentions or health behavior. We used random effects meta-analysis to synthesize effect sizes from 81 studies (n=45,618). Results Anticipated regret was associated with both intentions (r+= .50, p<.001) and health behavior (r+= .29, p<.001). Greater anticipated regret from engaging in a behavior (i.e., action regret) predicted weaker intentions and behavior, while greater anticipated regret from not engaging in a behavior (i.e., inaction regret) predicted stronger intentions and behavior. Anticipated action regret had smaller associations with behavioral intentions related to less severe and more distal hazards, but these moderation findings were not present for inaction regret. Anticipated regret generally was a stronger predictor of intentions and behavior than other anticipated negative emotions and risk appraisals. Conclusions Anticipated inaction regret has a stronger and more stable association with health behavior than previously thought. The field should give greater attention to understanding how anticipated regret differs from similar constructs, its role in health behavior theory, and its potential use in health behavior interventions.

Feel good now or regret it later? The respective roles of affective attitudes and anticipated affective reactions for explaining health‐promoting and health risk behavioral intentions

“…These findings potentially speak to the idea that “losses loom larger than gains” — e.g., the potential to feel regret for not doing something that is healthful is more powerful than the potential to feel proud after doing something that is healthful, consistent with research on affective forecasting biases (e.g., “impact bias;” Ellis et al, 2018). The contribution observed by anticipated (inaction) regret in the present study is in line with the results of a recently published meta-analysis regarding the relationships between anticipated action and inaction regret and health behavior engagement (Brewer et al, 2016); however, notably, Brewer and colleagues did not explore the role of anticipated pride.…”

“…In recent years, a growing literature has examined whether affective constructs, such as affective attitudes and anticipated affective reactions, ought to be explicitly incorporated into these traditionally cognitive-based models (Conner, McEachan, Taylor, O’Hara, & Lawton, 2015; Linde, Rhodes, Riley, & Spruijt-Metz, 2016; Rhodes & Nigg, 2011; Rivis, Sheeran, & Armitage, 2009; Sandberg & Conner, 2008; Sniehotta, Presseau, & Araújo-Soares, 2014; Williams, Rhodes, & Conner, 2017). While numerous studies have demonstrated the predictive utility of affective attitudes and negatively valanced anticipated affective reactions (i.e., anticipated regret; Brewer, DeFrank, & Gilkey, 2016; Ellis et al, 2018; Koch, 2014; Rivis et al, 2009; Sandberg & Conner, 2008; Sandberg, Hutter, Richetin, & Conner, 2016), the potential contribution of positively valanced anticipated affective reactions (e.g., pride) has received far less attention (Conner, Godin, Sheeran, & Germain, 2013). …”

“…Prior studies have typically only measured one kind of anticipated reaction for a target behavior in the same study with the majority of this work focused on anticipated (inaction) regret for not engaging in health-promoting behaviors (Conner et al, 2015; Rivis et al, 2009; Sandberg & Conner, 2008). However, emerging data suggest that both action and inaction regret contribute unique variance in the prediction of a range of health behaviors (Brewer et al, 2016; Sandberg et al, 2016). It is as yet unclear how anticipated pride for health behavior performance or risk behavior abstinence may contribute to the broader understanding of health behavior motivation as insufficient research has been conducted on this construct to date.…”

HPV vaccine for teen boys: Dyadic analysis of parents' and sons' beliefs and willingness

“…21,22,40 A recent meta-analysis demonstrated that anticipated regret can be particularly effective in motivating health behaviors when highlighting the proximal and severe consequences of inaction. 41 Although consequences of HPV infection (e.g., cancer) may not be proximal, they can be quite severe. In addition to anticipated regret, both parents' and sons' willingness was associated with greater perceived importance of protecting the son's future partner from HPV-related illness.…”

Individual Characteristics and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Systematic Review

“…A total of 63 full-text articles were included in the review. Such a ratio of studies identified initially and eligible for inclusion in a review is common [123,124] . The study characteristics are presented in Table 1 .…”