A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO PREDICT ... - SuSanA

predictor followed by perceived behavioural control. 123 The findings of this study were
contrary to many other studies where attitude was found to be the highest predictor of
intentions. Considering them, one can say that subjective norm was the highest
predictor because of the influence that the adolescents may have from their parents or
guardians since they may still be under parental control at that age.
Chan and Fishbein 124 studied the determinants of college women’s intentions to tell
their partners to use condoms based on the TPB and an additional variables measuring
emotional reactions (based on the theory of interpersonal behaviour developed by
Triandis in 1977. The study found that attitude, subjective norm and emotional reaction
were significant predictors of the intentions of the college women to tell their partners
to use condom with a minimal contribution from perceived behavioural
control. 125 Attitude was the highest predictor of the intentions followed by subjective
norm. Since emotional reaction was seen to be significant, it was proposed that it should
be added in assessing attitude although it may first need further researches. It was
concluded that perceived behavioural control was not significant because the goal of
using the condom was not under the control of the women but under that of their
partners. 126 These findings as well support the argument that specific determinants
become significant based on the focus of the study. Although emotional reaction was
seen to be significant and recommended that more research should be done into it, it
will not emphasised since it is not part of the main determinants of TPB.
Beale and Manstead 127 undertook a study to predict mother’s intention to limit
frequency of infants’ sugar intake by testing the TPB. In carrying out the study, mothers
with babies within the ages of five to seven months was selected based on their
attendance to baby clinic and they were group into two to form the experimental and
control group. The experimental group received a dental health educational programme
whiles the control group did not. 128 The analysis of the study show that the intervention
made a significant change in attitude of the experimental group than the control group.
However, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control had no significant
changes. In all there was no significant difference between the intentions of the mothers
123 Rise, Jostem; Astrøm, Anne and Sutton, Stephen, 1998, p. 229
124 Chan, Darius and Fishbein, Martin, 1993
125 Ibid, pp.1455-1568
126 Ibid
127 Beale, and Manstead, 1991
128 Ibid, pp. 416-428
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