Promoting water intake. The persuasiveness of a messaging intervention based on anticipated negative affective reactions and self-monitoring

The present research focused on water intake (WI) in young adults. Study 1 (N = 272) was a correlational study and showed affective attitude, perceived behavioural control, past behaviour and anticipated negative affective reactions (ANAR) to predict WI intentions. It also showed intentions, instrumental attitude, perceived behavioural control, and past behaviour to predict WI prospectively. In addition, ANAR moderates the relationship between intention and future water intake (WI). Study 2 (N = 197) was an experimental study and showed that daily text messages targeting ANAR plus a self-monitoring manipulation increased WI immediately after the intervention although this effect did not persist one month later. Mediation analysis indicated the intervention impacted WI via sequentially changing ANAR and intention.