A further look into compensatory health beliefs: A think aloud study

Abstract

What is already known on this subject? Although the idea that people use compensatory health beliefs as a strategy to continue engaging in unhealthy behaviours is an appealing one, attempts to measure compensatory health beliefs has produced mixed findings (see Kaklamanou & Armitage, ; Knäuper et al., ; Nooijer, Puijk-Hekman, & Assema, ; Radtke et al., ). What does this study add? The present study, using a 'think aloud technique', suggests ways to improve reliability of the compensatory health beliefs scale. We suggest that three sub-strategies underpin the 'activate Compensatory Health Beliefs' strategy. We propose a new construct that we call 'compensatory health behaviours'.