Does increasing autonomous motivation or perceived competence lead to health behavior change? A meta-analysis

Sheeran, Paschal; Wright, Charles E.; Avishai, Aya; Villegas, Megan E.; Rothman, Alexander J.; Klein, William M. P.

doi:10.1037/hea0001111

Cited by 93Behavioral Health and InterventionsMotivation and Self-Concept in SportsBehavioral and Psychological Studies

Does increasing autonomous motivation or perceived competence lead to health behavior change? A meta-analysis

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Sheeran, Paschal, Wright, Charles E., Avishai, Aya, Villegas, Megan E., Rothman, Alexander J., Klein, William M. P.·2021·Health Psychology

DOI 10.1037/hea0001111

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite abundant observational and experimental tests, it is not yet clear whether enhancing autonomous motivation or perceived competence leads to health behavior change. We identified interventions that aimed to change these constructs and quantified the magnitude of changes in behavior observed when interventions generated increases in autonomous motivation, perceived competence, or both. METHOD: Computerized searches and additional strategies identified 67 articles that yielded 135 effect sizes relevant to our research questions. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted via STATA. RESULTS: Interventions increased autonomous motivation and perceived competence in 31% and 38% of tests, respectively. Increasing autonomous motivation led to a medium change in health behaviors (d+ = .47, 95% CI [.44, .83]) and increasing perceived competence generated a small-to-medium change (d+ = .34, 95% CI [.22, .47]). Interventions that failed to generate significant improvements in autonomous motivation and perceived competence had much smaller effects on behavior change (d+ = .13 and .10, respectively). There was little evidence of synergistic effects. Changing both autonomous motivation and perceived competence (d+ = .42) did not lead to a larger effect on behavior compared with changing autonomous motivation on its own (d+ = .61), but had a larger effect compared with changing perceived competence on its own (d+ = .21). CONCLUSION: The present review suggests that autonomous motivation and perceived competence are valid targets for interventions to promote health behavior change but also indicates that research is warranted to ensure that interventions more effectively engage these targets. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

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Authors: Sheeran, P., Wright, C. E., Avishai, A., Villegas, M. E., Rothman, A. J., & Klein, W. M. P.
Affiliations: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
University of Minnesota (US)
National Cancer Institute (US)
ORCID: Sheeran, Paschal
Wright, Charles E.
Avishai, Aya
Rothman, Alexander J.
Klein, William M. P.
Venue: Health Psychology
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2021-10
Volume: 40
Issue: 10
Pages: 706-716
ISSN: 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
1930-7810
DOI: 10.1037/hea0001111
OpenAlex: W4200331395
Cited by: 93
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 15 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 7
FWCI: 10.97
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
doi.org
Locations: Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
UNC Libraries
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
Keywords: autonomous motivation, perceived competence, health behavior change, behaviour change interventions, self-determination theory, intervention targets, synergistic effect
MeSH terms: Health Promotion, Humans, Motivation, Health Behavior, Personal Autonomy

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Does increasing autonomous motivation or perceived competence lead to health behavior change? A meta-analysis

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