Individual psychology of risk-taking behaviours in non-adherence

This paper presents some theoretical considerations based on the theories of risk about non-adherence in the field of health care. Traditional models as the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Reasoned Action are presented and criticized. In order to enable the use of other theoretical frameworks, it is argued that non-adherence can be studied within the general frame of risk-taking. The behavioural decision theory is presented and it is argued that cognitive biases like unrealistic optimism play a major role in non-adherence as in risk-taking. It is also argued that these cognitive biases depend on self-related motivation factors. Results of a pilot study involving 16 patients are presented. These results only partly support the theoretical analysis and underline that it would be necessary to take mood factors into consideration in further research.