Health-Related Social Control and Risk Perceptions in Emerging Adults

Health behaviors decline during emerging adulthood, and social network members may attempt to influence or regulate emerging adults' health behaviors using various health-related social control strategies. A paucity of research examines social control in emerging adults or moderators of the social control process. This study examined health risk perceptions as a moderator of the relationship between social control and affective and behavioral responses to control in 275 emerging adults. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that for those individuals with higher perceived severity of developing future health conditions, the links between positive control, more positive emotions, and more behavior change became weaker but the links between negative control, fewer positive emotions, and less behavior change became stronger. Understanding emerging adults' health risk perceptions may be beneficial in health promotion for this at-risk developmental group.