The Dyadic Interplay Between Relationship Satisfaction, Perceived Positive and Negative Social Control, and a Reduction of Sedentary Behavior Time.

BACKGROUND: Both the close relationship processes and health model and the dyadic health influence model posit that beliefs about the relationship (e.g., relationship satisfaction) and influence strategies (e.g., social control) serve as mediators of health behavior change. The evidence for such mediation is limited. PURPOSE: This study investigated two competing hypotheses that arise from these models: (1) perceived use of positive and negative social control (attempts to influence the partner's behaviors) predict sedentary behavior (SB) indirectly, via relationship satisfaction; or (2) relationship satisfaction predicts SB indirectly, via positive and negative social control. METHODS: Data from 320 dyads (target persons and their partners, aged 18-90 years), were analyzed using mediation models. SB time was measured with GT3X-BT accelerometers at Time 1 (T1; baseline) and Time 3 (T3; 8 months following baseline). Relationship satisfaction and social control were assessed at T1 and Time 2 (T2; 2 months following baseline). RESULTS: Higher T1 relationship satisfaction among target persons predicted target persons' reporting of higher T2 negative control from partners, which in turn predicted lower T3 SB time among target persons. Lower T1 relationship satisfaction among partners predicted target persons' reporting of higher T2 perceived negative control from partners, which predicted lower T3 SB time among target persons. On average, both members of the dyad reported moderate-to-high relationship satisfaction and low-to-moderate negative control. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to very low levels of negative control, its low-to-moderate levels may be related to beneficial behavioral effects (lower SB time) among target persons reporting moderate-to-high relationship satisfaction.

Individual, dyadic, collaborative planning, physical activity, and nutrition: A randomized controlled trial in parent-child dyads.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of individual, dyadic, and collaborative planning on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; primary outcome) and energy-dense food intake (secondary outcome) in dyads of parents and their 9-15-year-old children. Individual planning reflects an "I-for-me" planning of one person's behavior. Collaborative ("we-for-us") planning refers to joint planning of both dyad members' behavior, whereas dyadic ("we-for-me") planning involves joint planning of only the target person's behavior. METHOD: N = 247 dyads participated in a randomized controlled trial with individual, dyadic, or collaborative physical activity (PA) planning and control conditions (education about PA, sedentary behavior, nutrition, energy intake-expenditure balance). MVPA was measured with ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometers at baseline, 1-week, and 36-week follow-ups. Energy-dense food intake was self-reported at baseline, 9-week, and 36-week follow-ups. Linear mixed models were fit for parents and children separately. RESULTS: At the 36-week follow-up, children in the dyadic "we-for-me" planning condition decreased their MVPA compared to the control condition. At the same time, children in the dyadic planning condition also decreased energy-dense food intake at the 36-week follow-up. No effects were found among children in individual and collaborative PA planning conditions. Parents in any experimental conditions decreased energy-dense food intake. CONCLUSIONS: Children's decrease in MVPA in dyadic PA planning condition was offset by a reduction of energy intake, which may represent a compensatory mechanism. The limited effectiveness of the dyadic "we-for-me" interventions in parent-child dyads may result from young people's needs for individuation and their reactance to parental support. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).