Lynn B. Myers

Social cognitive predictors of sun protection intention and behavior.

The authors investigated sunbathing behavior and intention prospectively using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Before summer, 85 young adults who intended to sunbathe completed a TPB questionnaire. After summer, 46 of them completed a second questionnaire about their summertime sunbathing behavior. The proposed model was successful in predicting both behavior and intention to use sun protection, with 45% of the variance of self-reported sunscreen use and 32% of the variance in intention explained by the TPB. Items designed to measure self-efficacy and perceived control loaded onto different factors and demonstrated discriminant validity. Self-efficacy predicted both intention and behavior (after controlling for all other TPB variables), but perceived behavioral control did not. The authors discuss the implications of the findings for potential interventions to improve sun protection behavior.

Emotional information processing in repressors: The vigilance–avoidance theory

A vigilance–avoidance theory of the repressive coping style (low trait anxiety and high defensiveness) is presented. The new theory attempts to account for several key findings, including the discrepancy between low self-reported anxiety and high behavioural and physiological indicators of anxiety shown by individuals with a repressive coping style. According to the theory, repressors have an initial rapid vigilant response triggering behavioural and physiological responses and involving attentional and interpretive biases to self-relevant threat stimuli. These biases may be based on negative self-relevant schematic information. This initial vigilant stage is followed by an avoidance stage involving avoidant cognitive biases (attentional, interpretive, and memory) that inhibit the conscious experience of anxiety. Future research should examine systematically the time course of repressors’ reactions to threatening and non-threatening stimuli.

The importance of the repressive coping style: findings from 30 years of research

Abstract During the last three decades there has been substantial research exploring the repressive coping style as defined by Weinberger, Schwartz, and Davidson. As “repressors,” who score low on trait anxiety and high on defensiveness, account for up to 50% of certain populations, they are an essential group for psychologists to study. However, there are methodological issues in identifying repressors as well as considerable evidence that repressors avoid negative self-relevant information. Possible methods of addressing these difficulties are discussed in this review. Importantly, there is a body of evidence linking repressive coping and poor physical health, including heart disease and cancer. However, some preliminary findings suggest that repressors compared to non-repressors may be better at health behaviors that they perceive as under their personal control. This needs more extensive investigation as such behaviors are only one aspect of health and other factors may contribute to repressors’ poor physical health. Possible future directions of research are discussed including: the need for systematic empirical research of a new theory of repressive coping – the Vigilance–Avoidance Theory – more longitudinal health studies, and an in-depth exploration of the physiological mechanisms which may underlie repressive coping.

Identifying repressors: A methodological issue for health psychology

Abstract The majority of studies in health psychology use self-report measures. However, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that this methodology may be problematic for a significant minority of the population: individuals who possess a repressive coping style (repressors). Repressors, who fail to report negative affect, answer many self-report measures in a positive fashion. Research has identified an association between repressors, who are identified by low trait anxiety scores and high defensiveness scores, and adverse health outcomes. Therefore, repressors are an important group for health psychologists to investigate. Health psychology research should use more than one method of data collection in an attempt to unravel this difficult methodological problem.

Psychological correlates of adherence to medication in asthma

The relationship between illness perceptions, beliefs about medication and adherence to medication was investigated in a primary care sample of 64 asthma patients. A series of multiple regressions indicated that number of preventer inhaler prescriptions was significantly associated with patient beliefs about the necessity of their asthma medication, and external cause; number of reliever inhaler prescriptions was significantly associated with belief in a long illness duration and high morbidity; self-reported adherence was significantly associated with patient beliefs about the necessity of their asthma medication and strong identity. The implications of these findings are discussed.

To forget or not to forget: What do repressors forget and when do they forget?

Using a directed forgetting task, we tested the hypothesis that repressors would be superior to nonrepressors in forgetting negative experimental material. Consistent with previous studies, there was an overall directed forgetting effect, with significantly more to‐be‐remembered (TBR) material recalled than to‐be‐forgotten material (TBF). As predicted, there were no recall differences for negative words in a control condition without the instruction to forget. Repressors compared to nonrepressors forgot more negatively valenced words in the TBF set only in a private condition where they had to rate words for self‐descriptiveness but not for other‐descriptiveness and not in the public condition. These results suggest that repressors have an enhanced capability for employing retrieval inhibition in certain conditions (e.g., private conditions), but not public conditions when under evaluation. The results support the notion of repressors as self‐deceivers rather than impression managers.

Adherence to chest physiotherapy in adults with cystic fibrosis

Chest physiotherapy (CP) is seen as a cornerstone of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) treatment. However, previous studies have suggested that adherence to CP is low. This study of adults with CF (N = 563) investigated CP adherence and associated factors. Only 29.5 per cent reported undertaking daily CP. Predictors of adherence included problems with fitting CP into lifestyle, a perception that CP does not help, physical consequences of CP, doing exercises instead and doing CP as and when necessary. These variables accounted for 45 per cent of the variance in adherence. Content analysis revealed a number of themes related to adherence to CP. Future studies should explore the benefits of daily CP and attempt to devise simple interventions to maximize adherence to CP.

Repressive coping and the recall of emotional material

Individuals who possess a repressive coping style are known to have difficulty in retrieving negative autobiographical memories. We investigated whether these findings were specific to autobiographical memories. After learning a story containing positive and negative information about mothers and fathers, repressors remembered significantly fewer negative phrases than did controls, although there were no differences in the recall of positive material.

Genetic Screening for Alzheimer's Disease: What Factors Predict Intentions to Take a Test?

Abstract The authors investigated factors that predict intention to take a genetic test for Alzheimers disease (AD). The 449 men and women were surveyed in two groups: (a) those told that a positive result meant a 90% chance of developing AD (increased certainty) and (b) those told that a positive result meant a 50% chance of developing AD (decreased certainty). Participants completed measures of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), anticipated regret, risk perception, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, and AD risk factors. Just over 50% of the variance in intentions was related to TPB variables, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, number of people the participants knew who had AD, experimental condition, and anticipated regret. The subjective norm was the strongest predictor of intention in the increased certainty group, whereas positive belief was the strongest predictor in the decreased certainty group.

How optimistic are repressors? the relationship between repressive coping, controllability, self-esteem and comparative optimism for health-related events

Abstract This study examined the relationship between repressive coping, controllability, self-esteem and comparative optimism for health-related events. Repressors (low trait anxiety-high defensiveness) compared with both (a) specific control groups on anxiety and defensiveness (e.g., low-anxious, high-anxious and defensive high anxious) and (b) total nonrepressors were significantly more comparatively optimistic for health-related events. Repressors remained significantly more comparatively optimistic than total nonrepressors when self-esteem was partialled out. For individual events, repressors differed in comparative optimism for events which were rated as high controllability. It is concluded that repressors are exhibiting comparative optimism over and above nonrepressor groups for events which are rated as controllable. These results suggest that comparative optimism findings may be exaggerated by not controlling for the disproportionate influence of repressors in skewing sample means. Suggestions for future studies are discussed.