Changing driver behavior during floods: Testing a novel E-Health intervention using implementation imagery
Author(s)
Hamilton, Kyra
Keech, Jacob J
Peden, Amy E
Hagger, Martin S
Year published
2020
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objective: Drowning is the third leading cause of injury-related death. Activities such as driving through floodwater are commonly reported behaviors that precede drowning. In Australia, more than half of flood-related drowning deaths are the result of driving through floodwaters. Drawing upon our previous research, the current pre-registered study aimed to develop and evaluate a theory-based behavioral intervention employing a novel implementation imagery technique to promote safer intentions and beliefs regarding driving through floodwaters. Methods: The study adopted a randomized controlled trial design. Participants were ...
View more >Objective: Drowning is the third leading cause of injury-related death. Activities such as driving through floodwater are commonly reported behaviors that precede drowning. In Australia, more than half of flood-related drowning deaths are the result of driving through floodwaters. Drawing upon our previous research, the current pre-registered study aimed to develop and evaluate a theory-based behavioral intervention employing a novel implementation imagery technique to promote safer intentions and beliefs regarding driving through floodwaters. Methods: The study adopted a randomized controlled trial design. Participants were Australian residents holding a driver’s license (N = 460) and quotas were used to recruit a sample with similar demographic characteristics to proportions of flood-related transport deaths in the Australian population. The study was registered on the ANZCTR clinical trials registry prior to data collection (ACTRN12618001212246). A rigorous lab-based pilot process involving qualitative interviews was undertaken prior to the trial. The control (publicly available information about the risks of driving through floodwater) and intervention (control stimuli + implementation imagery exercises) condition stimuli were delivered online using videos. Measures were taken pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed design ANOVAs and Johnson-Neyman moderation analyses using the Process Macro. Results: The intervention reduced intentions and subjective norms regarding driving through floodwater, and improved action planning regarding avoiding driving through floodwater. The control condition also improved on intentions and subjective norms post-intervention, but effects were only retained at the follow-up for the intervention group. Further analyses indicated that the intervention showed effects on post-intervention perceived behavioral control, perceived severity, anticipated regret, and barrier self-efficacy in individuals who had a modest level of intention or willingness to drive through floodwater at baseline. Conclusions: The implementation imagery intervention is a promising approach for creating changes, at least in the short term, in some psychological constructs that are associated with driving through floodwater. Further research is needed to evaluate this intervention in “real-world” settings and to examine effects on actual behavior among drivers with at least some level of intention to drive through floodwater.
View less >
View more >Objective: Drowning is the third leading cause of injury-related death. Activities such as driving through floodwater are commonly reported behaviors that precede drowning. In Australia, more than half of flood-related drowning deaths are the result of driving through floodwaters. Drawing upon our previous research, the current pre-registered study aimed to develop and evaluate a theory-based behavioral intervention employing a novel implementation imagery technique to promote safer intentions and beliefs regarding driving through floodwaters. Methods: The study adopted a randomized controlled trial design. Participants were Australian residents holding a driver’s license (N = 460) and quotas were used to recruit a sample with similar demographic characteristics to proportions of flood-related transport deaths in the Australian population. The study was registered on the ANZCTR clinical trials registry prior to data collection (ACTRN12618001212246). A rigorous lab-based pilot process involving qualitative interviews was undertaken prior to the trial. The control (publicly available information about the risks of driving through floodwater) and intervention (control stimuli + implementation imagery exercises) condition stimuli were delivered online using videos. Measures were taken pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using mixed design ANOVAs and Johnson-Neyman moderation analyses using the Process Macro. Results: The intervention reduced intentions and subjective norms regarding driving through floodwater, and improved action planning regarding avoiding driving through floodwater. The control condition also improved on intentions and subjective norms post-intervention, but effects were only retained at the follow-up for the intervention group. Further analyses indicated that the intervention showed effects on post-intervention perceived behavioral control, perceived severity, anticipated regret, and barrier self-efficacy in individuals who had a modest level of intention or willingness to drive through floodwater at baseline. Conclusions: The implementation imagery intervention is a promising approach for creating changes, at least in the short term, in some psychological constructs that are associated with driving through floodwater. Further research is needed to evaluate this intervention in “real-world” settings and to examine effects on actual behavior among drivers with at least some level of intention to drive through floodwater.
View less >
Conference Title
Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Volume
54
Issue
S1
Subject
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Education
Psychology
Health sciences
Social Sciences
Psychology, Multidisciplinary