Self-regulation and the behavioural response to DNA risk information: A theoretical analysis and framework for future research

The few studies conducted to date suggest that DNA risk information may be less likely to achieve behaviour change than other types of health risk information. We draw upon self-regulation theory to explain and predict the characteristics of risk information that are more and less likely to motivate behaviour change. Self-regulation theory describes how information about a health threat is processed within individuals' pre-existing cognitive schema, and how the cognitive representations within these schemas activate coping procedures for dealing with the perceived threat. We explore the proposition that the initial impact of information about a health threat depends upon how well it "fits" with existing cognitive representations of that threat. For example, in one study DNA risk information regarding an inherited form of bowel cancer was perceived as more accurate and had a greater impact on risk perceptions in those whose representation of the threat included genes as the single cause, as opposed to one of several. Since the cognitive representation of a threat activates coping procedures that fit with that representation, we also explore the proposition that cognitive representations of a threat that has a genetic identity are less likely to activate coping procedures that include risk-reducing behaviours. For example, using DNA risk information to assess an inherited predisposition to heart disease increased the extent to which the condition was seen as caused by genes, which in turn reduced the expectation that a behavioural means of coping would be effective (eating a low fat diet), but increased the expectation that a biological means was effective (taking lipid lowering medication). Describing the heuristics that operate between risk information, the cognitive representations of threat and coping procedures could be used to identify the cognitions to target so as to optimize the motivational impact of DNA and other risk information.