Science AI Journal
Psychology · Research topic

Open research questions in Behavioral Health and Interventions

125 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 3,471 Behavioral Health and Interventions papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The joint association between PRT and impulsivity with prosocial behavior remains underexplored, especially their prospective associations in longitudinal designs and daily contexts.

    Longitudinal and Daily Links Between Impulsivity and Prosocial Behavior: The Moderating Role of Positive Risk‐Taking · 2026 · DOI

  • This study comes with limitations. First, this study measured self-reported behavioral intentions. Future research could benefit from the use of driving simulators (for drivers) or observing actual driving behaviors (for both drivers and vulnerable road users). Second, this study was conducted with participants across the state of California. Notably, California ranks among the deadliest states in the US for pedestrian (Sierra & Feingold, 2024) and cyclist fatalities (Hubbard, 2021), making this research a valuable contribution to and impact on transportation safety practices, where the problem is severe. Yet, future studies could consider a nationwide sample. Third, previous research has shown that cultural aspects play a determining role in the acceptance of regulatory-focused framed messages (Förster & Higgins, 2005). Hence, future research could include cross-cultural comparisons to better understand the effects of regulatory-focused traffic safety messages in different countries. Fourth, this study investigated the moderating role of perceived control on the framing of regulatory focus messages. Since the message recipient’s psychological characteristics play an important role in moderating the message-framing effect (Covey, 2014), other psychological characteristics (e.g., self-efficacy, self-consciousness, risk perceptions) could moderate the effectiveness of the prevention- vs. promotion-focused traffic safety message, providing an avenue for future research.

    Effectiveness of Regulatory Focus Message Framing on Vulnerable Road Users’ Traffic Safety: A Moderated Mediation Model · 2026 · DOI

  • Semi-structured interviews (N = 10) showed five themes: "It's not clearly defined," "Focus on 'industry ready skills'," "It's experience driven, "They're just expected to apply it", and "Behaviour change is embedded.

    Exploring the integration of behaviour change training in Australian pharmacy education: A curriculum review · 2025 · DOI

  • Effects of mood and modality variations are examined through a quantitative-cum-qualitative analysis of results from a representative survey ( N = 1,089), which included closed questions on self-predicted compliance to health guidance and open questions on the respondents’ understanding of messaging.

    The effects of modal value and imperative mood on self-predicted compliance to health guidance: the case of COVID-19 · 2024 · DOI

  • From the conclusions, it was evident that government and public health were deemed responsible for the rise of obesity among 35-55 years University female academic staff because of inefficiencies, lack of health clinics specific to treat obesity cases and lack of insurance covers for obesity cases. The study recommends that international bodies such as the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health –in Human Nutrition and Dietetics Unit be actively involved in the development of relevant nutrition policies that address obesity cases affecting individuals and help in setting up health clinics for treating obesity cases. In addition, the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and other registered medical insurance bodies in Kenya, should provide comprehensive insurance coverage exclusive to persons suffering from obesity. 71 International Journal of Communication and Public Relation ISSN 2520-7989 (Online) Vol.9, Issue 1, No.5, pp 53 - 74, 2024 www.iprjb.org REFERENCES Abreu, A.A. (2015). Framing theory in communication research in Spain: Origins, development and current situation. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 70, 423- 450. Agyeman, C., Boatemaa, S., Frempong, G. & Aikins, A.D. (2015). Metabolic syndrome: Obesity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. Allen, M. (2017). The SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Amugsi, D.A., Dimbuene, Z.T., Mberu, B., Muthuri, S. & Ezeh, A.C. (2017). Prevalence and time trends in overweight and obesity among urban women: An analysis of demographic and health surveys data from 24 African countries, 1991-2014. BMJ Open, 7, 1-22. Armentia, J.I. & Marin, F. (2018). How the Spanish Press frames obesity: A study of content published by El País La Vanguardia, and El Correo in 2015. Journalism, 1-19. Babbie, E. (2011). The basics of social research(5th ed.). Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Baker, T.L. (1994). Doing social research(2nd.ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Inc. Brahmbhatt, M. (2017). Social and physical determinants of obesity in adults. Advances in Obesity, Weight Management & Control, 6(1), 17-23. Retrieved from https://medcraveonline.com/AOWMC/AOWMC-06-00144.pdf Brun, A.D., McCarthy, M., McKenzie, K. & McGloin, A. (2015).

    The Cause and Effect of Responsibility Frame on the Perception of Obesity among 35-55 Years University Female Academic Staff in Nairobi County, Kenya · 2024 · DOI

  • The present findings should be replicated using experimental and longitudinal studies for appropriately testing mediation but offer support for a novel hypothesis for motivational pathways from impulsivity to alcohol outcomes that may provide insight into intervention targets, if further supported by future research.

    Indirect associations between impulsivity and alcohol outcomes through motives for drinking responsibly among U.S. college students: an integration of self-determination theory and the acquired preparedness model · 2023 · DOI

  • Although no interaction effect was observed for independent self‐construal, and inconsistent evidence emerged for construal level, other‐focused messages performed either better or equally well to the self‐focused messages for most participants and may thus be promising for future public health communication efforts.

    Should health communication regarding COVID‐19 emphasize self‐ or other‐focused impacts of mitigation behaviors? Insights from two message matching studies · 2023 · DOI

  • The evidence on the three characteristics proposed as necessary and/or distinguishing conditions of directed motivational currents (vision, salient facilitative structure, and positive affect) is inconclusive due to the presence of directed motivational currents cases not exhibiting these features, and the absence of direct comparative analyses with non-directed motivational currents cases.

    Directed motivational currents: A systematic review · 2021 · DOI

  • Abstract Despite its grounding in prestigious theories of behavioral science, the findings of both academic and applied behavioral public administration (BPA) have tended to present a rather mixed picture of often contradictory results that appear highly context dependent.

    Nudging and Muddling through · 2021 · DOI

  • METHODS: Discussions among health psychology researchers and practitioners, at the 2019 European Health Psychology Society 'Synergy Expert Meeting', generated pertinent questions to guide further research into habit and health behaviour.

    Developing habit-based health behaviour change interventions: twenty-one questions to guide future research · 2021 · DOI

  • This research warrants more attention in testing the SCT concepts for the development of childhood obesity prevention efforts that prioritize African American families in rural communities.

    Examining Whether the Social Cognitive Theory Concepts Predict Childhood Obesity Prevention Outcome Expectations · 2020 · DOI

  • To explain these inconsistent findings, it has been suggested that the capacity for self-regulation may be, for most adolescents, adequately mature to produce adaptive behaviour in non-affective, "cold" circumstances, but that adolescents have a more difficult time exerting control in affective, "hot" contexts.

    Adolescent risk-taking is predicted by individual differences in cognitive control over emotional, but not non-emotional, response conflict · 2016 · DOI

  • Binge eating (BE) among female university students is rising in prevalence and few studies have considered the role of social cognitive processes in decisions to engage in BE.

    Exploring female university students' beliefs about binge eating · 2014 · DOI

  • Moderator analyses indicated that the DN-BEH relation was stronger when there was more time between measures of cognition and behaviour, when behaviours were not socially approved, more socially motive and more pleasant; results were mixed in the case of the IN-BEH relation.

    The effects of subjective norms on behaviour in the theory of planned behaviour: A meta‐analysis · 2009 · DOI

  • BACKGROUND: Most of the population have positive intentions to engage in physical activity (PA) but fail to act; thus, the need to understand successful translation of intention into behavior is warranted in order to focus intervention efforts.

    Predicting the Physical Activity Intention–Behavior Profiles of Adopters and Maintainers Using Three Social Cognition Models · 2008 · DOI

  • Despite a large empirical literature, there is still no consensus as to the superiority of any theory or model, or even that particular variables are more useful than others for understanding the determinants of compliance within discrete behavioral health domains (Weinstein, 1993).

    The Health Compliance Model-II. · 2005 · DOI

  • As hypothesized, (a) controlled orientation was associated with feeling more driving anger as a result of other drivers' actions; (b) controlled orientation was associated with more aggressive driving behaviors and more traffic citations; (c) the relation between controlled orientation and aggressive driving was mediated by driving anger; and (d) self‐esteem and social anxiety did not account for the results of motivational orientations.

    Self‐Determination Theory as a Framework for Understanding Road Rage<sup>1</sup> · 2001 · DOI

  • The Study Population A population group of family units in a selected geographic area should be studied for a period of a t least ten or fifteen years. ( a ) The distribution and changes over time in preventive practices should be studied, including such personal practices as exercise, smoking, diet, toothbrushing, etc. Why this is so is not yet known. We know that people vary widely in their positions on each of the 382 Health Education Monographs VOL.

    The Health Belief Model and Preventive Health Behavior · 1974 · DOI

  • The tendency toward a positive relation- ship between post-performance evalua- tion and attitude change within the High Involvement conditions of both studies is encouraging; however, further research is needed to determine whether or not the monotonic increasing rela- tionships found in the present experi- ments will hold at more extreme values of the post-performance evaluation vari- able.

    Toward a role enactment theory of persuasion · 1972 · DOI

  • (c) scope: the precise boundaries of the science are not well defined. 45 One possible way for the his- torian to deal with the problems of a multiple or poorly defined field is to make up his own definition.

    What is “behavioral science?” — notes toward a history · 1966 · DOI

  • Another limitation of the current study is that proce- dural fidelity data were not collected during the NTC.

    Social Skill Performance: Using a Multi-Element Design to Investigate the Moderating Influence of Activities While Tootling · 2026 · DOI

  • In response to this gap in the literature, this study examined the mechanisms through which risk perceptions affect gain/loss framing effects, using two experiments involving different levels of risks.

    When Gain/Loss Framing Exerts Its Effects and How: Examining the Roles of Risk Perceptions, Anticipated Regret, and Anxiety · 2024 · DOI

  • In summary, we replicate and extend the original finding of algorithm appreciation and initially demonstrate a lack of evidence for both systematic order effects in sequential collaboration as well as differential weighting of multiple pieces of advice.

    Mixed‐effects regression weights for advice taking and related phenomena of information sampling and utilization · 2024 · DOI

  • Abstract Although preventive health technologies are commonly considered as enhancing consumer wellbeing, little is known about their unintended consequences.

    Consumer engagement with preventive health technologies: A double‐edged sword for consumer wellbeing · 2024 · DOI

  • Overall, the implementation of the recommendations progresses and respective norms emerge, but substantial challenges remain to be solved requiring collective efforts.

    Quality, Replicability, and Transparency in Research in Social Psychology · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Behavioral Health and Interventions

Most recent work

Find a gap in your own Behavioral Health and Interventions sub-topic

This page shows what the Behavioral Health and Interventions literature already flags as unresolved. To narrow it to your specific question, run the guided finder — it searches the gap library on demand and checks candidates against 250M+ OpenAlex works.

Open the Research Gap Finder →

Related topics in Psychology

LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
750 open questions
Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
645 open questions
Reading and Literacy Development
599 open questions
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
543 open questions
Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
482 open questions
Child Abuse and Trauma
462 open questions
Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
453 open questions
Family and Disability Support Research
453 open questions
125 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 3,471 Behavioral Health and Interventions papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

Tools for your next paper

Gaps & Literature SearchFind open questions in any field — 120,000+ open gaps mined from our own library.Pre-CheckIs your paper ready? A Tier 1–5 acceptance probability in seconds.Journal FinderA ranked shortlist of target journals from a 17,500-venue index.Duplicate Publication CheckerCheck prior-publication & salami-slicing risk across 8 sources.Citation GeneratorFreeA DOI or title → APA, MLA, Vancouver, Chicago, BibTeX, RIS. No signup.Graphical Abstract MakerFreeTurn your findings into a colorblind-safe graphical abstract.

Compare the category — Honest roundups of the AI research tools, ours listed alongside the alternatives.

Command palette

Jump anywhere, run any action.