The role of action and coping planning in the relationship between intention and physical activity: A moderated mediation analysis

Objective: Using a moderated mediation model, the present study investigated whether the mediation of intention into physical activity (PA) behaviour via action planning depends on the level of coping planning. Method: A four-month prospective study was conducted among 157 French adults, who were recruited through a web-based survey. They were administrated measures of behavioural intention and sociodemographic variables at baseline and action and coping planning and PA four months later. Results: Action planning partially mediated the contribution of intention on PA level. However, this indirect effect was conditional on the level of coping planning, insofar as action planning acted as a mediator of the intention-PA relationship only for individuals with high level of coping planning. Conclusion: The results highlight the complexity of the relationship between intention and behaviour and provide evidence for the distinct role of both forms of planning.