Enhancing Commitment Improves Adherence to a Medical Regimen

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology Vol. 62; no. 1; pp. 191 - 194
• Main Authors: Putnam, Dana E, Finney, Jack W, Barkley, Phillip L, Bonner, Melanie J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-02-1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; College Students; Commitment; Compliance; Compliance (Psychology); Counseling Techniques; Drug Therapy; Drugs; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Behavior; Health Status; Higher Education; Human; Humans; Intervention; Male; Miscellaneous; Patient Compliance; Prescribed; Psychology; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy; Student Health Services; Treatment Compliance; Human; Drug compliance; Adult; Attitude change; Personal commitment
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.62.1.191

A commitment-based intervention was evaluated for improvement of adherence to a 10-day antibiotic regimen. Experimental Ss made verbal and written commitments for adherence and completed tasks designed to increase their investment in a medication regimen. Control Ss performed similarly structured tasks unrelated to the medical regimen. Adherence, measured by unannounced pill counts, was significantly higher for experimental subjects than for control Ss. Self-reported adherence was significantly correlated with posttest self-efficacy but not with pretest self-efficacy. Adherence to a medical regimen may be improved by strategies conceptually based on the investment model of commitment, which provides a useful framework for further study of adherence.