Background Competitive hypothesis testing may explain differences in predictive power across multiple health behavior theories. empiric support for different assertions of HBM and TRA. Future interventions should test whether building subjective norm and reducing negative attitudes increases regular mammography. Introduction Application of wellness behavior ideas to interventions is preferred to progress our knowledge of the theoretical systems that travel behavior change also to build consensus about common theoretical constructs and pathways (1). Many researchers possess highlighted overlap within the conceptual meanings of constructs from different ideas (e.g. values about the prospective wellness behavior are called recognized benefits and obstacles in medical Perception Model attitude on the behavior theoretically PD153035 (HCl salt) of Reasoned Actions/Prepared Behavior and benefits and obstacles within the Transtheoretical PD153035 (HCl salt) Model). Others argue that while theories may share common constructs the hypothesized pathways linking constructs to each other and behavior are distinct. Despite Noar and Zimmerman’s (2) and Weinstein and Rothman’s (3) call for PD153035 (HCl Rabbit Polyclonal to LMO3. salt) building consensus across theories few longitudinal studies have examined direct and indirect causal pathways through which theoretical constructs influence behavior. Brewer and Gilkey (4) describe two current schools of thought on how to best test health behavior theories: a summary approach and competitive hypothesis testing. In the summary approach all constructs within one theory are measured and the ability of the constructs to predict variance in the behavior is evaluated using traditional structural equation modeling fit statistics. The competitive hypothesis testing approach pits two or more theories against each other by examining alternative pathways linking constructs. Each theory is treated as a group of separable arguments whereby competing arguments are isolated to understand distinct mechanisms of a theory. Although the summary approach may promote a better understanding of an individual theory competitive hypothesis testing identifies specific pathways that explain differences in predictive power across two or more theories. Few investigators have tested pathways linking different constructs to each other and to mammography uptake behavior (5-8) although many have investigated whether various constructs are correlates or predictors of mammography. Moreover most intervention developers have used constructs from multiple theories and the majority have only examined whether each construct can be directly connected with mammography behavior (9). Few research have comprehensively used all the constructs within a definite theory (5 10 and examined both immediate and indirect pathways as hypothesized by way of a theory. None offers utilized a competitive tests strategy. Competitive hypothesis tests may refine the use of theory to mammography testing behavior and help determine particular pathways that raise the performance of behavioral interventions to market screening. The goal of this research would be to check the pathways linking subjective norm benefits obstacles intention and mammography behavior. We chose to PD153035 (HCl salt) focus on these theoretical constructs because the pathways linking them to each other and behavior are debated across the major theories of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Theory of Reasoned Action/Planned Behavior (hereafter labeled TRA because we did not evaluate perceived behavioral control). Beliefs about the target behavior appear in both HBM and TRA; however their conceptual labels and pathway of influencing behavior differ (13-16). The HBM argues that positive and negative evaluations should be included as two distinct PD153035 (HCl salt) constructs (labeled perceived benefits and barriers) while the TRA argues that they can be combined into one global construct labeled attitudes towards the behavior. Our past psychometric work supported the formation of two latent constructs representing benefits and barriers (17). In addition the TRA posits that these attitude-based constructs indirectly influence behavior through intention formation (14 15 while HBM hypothesizes that both constructs directly influence behavior (13). Recently researchers wanting to expand the HBM possess recommended adding purpose being a mediating adjustable (18-20) but few possess examined whether its addition enhances the theory’s explanatory power (13 21 The function and need for subjective norm differs between HBM and TRA. While subjective norm continues to be.