Can the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change Explain the Intent for People to Practice Meditation?

• Main Authors: Manoj Sharma MBBS, PhD (Author), Matthew Asare MPH, PhD (Author), Ram Lakhan DrPH (Author), Amar Kanekar MBBS, MPH, PhD (Author), Vinayak K. Nahar MD, PhD (Author), Sheniz Moonie MS, PhD (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: SAGE Publishing, 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Meditation is gaining popularity as adjuvant therapy for many chronic ailments, mental well-being, and spiritual growth. Behavioral theories have been underutilized in understanding meditation behavior. This study aimed to test if a fourth-generation multi-theory model (MTM) could explain the intent for starting and maintaining meditation behavior in a sample of US adults. A face and content valid 48-item instrument based on MTM was administered in a cross-sectional design through an online survey (n = 330). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70) and construct validation using structural equation modeling of the subscales were all acceptable. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that, after controlling for demographic covariates, the MTM constructs of participatory dialogue (β  =  0.153; P   =  .002) and behavioral confidence (β  =  0.479; P  < .001) were statistically significant in predicting intent for starting meditation behavior and accounted for 32.9% of the variance. Furthermore, after controlling for demographic covariates, the MTM constructs of emotional transformation (β  =  0.390; P  < .001) and changes in the social environment (β  =  0.395; P  < .001) were statistically significant and accounted for 52.9% of the variance in the intent for maintaining meditation behavior. Based on this study, it can be concluded that MTM offers a pragmatic framework to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based (theory-based) meditation behavior change interventions.

Item Description

2515-690X
10.1177/2515690X211064582