Page 18 - Zero for nine: Reducing alcohol use during pregnancy via health counselling and Internet-based computer-tailored feedback

Chapter 1
In most studies on partner’s behavior and prenatal alcohol use, social influence relates to the respondent’s perception of this influence. It is unclear whether this truly reflects partner’s actual behavior. Only one study investigated the relation between the pregnant woman’s perception and her partner’s report of his support (McNamara, et al., 2006), showing merely a slight agreement in support scores. In addition, there is no evidence that perceived partner’s behaviour is a stronger determinant of prenatal alcohol use than actual behaviour.
Finally, when research shows that partners can play an important role in interventions targeting the prevention of prenatal alcohol use, a better understanding of the determinants of partner support to abstain from prenatal alcohol use can help to make a better use of partner support. Thus far, no previous study has looked into the determinants of partner support to abstain from prenatal alcohol use.
In order to fill this gap of missing information on motivational factors in general and the role of the partner in specific, the present dissertation aimed to answer the following research questions:
1. What are motivational determinants of prenatal alcohol use?
2. How do partner’s norm, modelling and support as perceived by the pregnant woman and reported by her partner relate to
prenatal alcohol use?
3. How are perceived and reported partner’s behaviour regarding
prenatal alcohol use related to each other?
4. How important are perceived and reported partner’s behaviour
in explaining alcohol use of pregnant women?
5. What are determinants of partner support to abstain from
prenatal alcohol use?
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