Phone attachment and compensatory health beliefs predicting the behavior of texting while driving (TWD)

Abstract

Background: Examine the associations between phone attachment, risk perception and compensatory health beliefs (CHB), on the one hand, and texting-while driving and compensatory behavior, on the other hand. Methods: 160 participants, aged 18-70, filled out an online survey tapping the above constructs. Findings: Most of the sample reported they engaged in TWD (85%), with younger people reporting higher rates and no gender differences. The behavior of TWD was positively associated with phone attachment and compensatory health beliefs concerning TWD and negatively associated with risk perception. Phone attachment and CHBs interacted so that individuals high on both were the most likely to TWD. TWD and compensatory behavior related to TWD were closely associated (r=.60). Phone attachment best predicted TWD and compensatory behavior in a multivariate analysis and all the variables explained 57% of the variance in TWD. Discussion: Attempts to reduce TWD should target directly phone attachment and compensatory behaviors.