This volume investigates the complex interplay between self-regulation, identity, and health outcomes in human behavior. The authors, Alexander Rothman, James A. Shepperd, and William M. P. Klein, synthesize psychological research to explain how individuals manage their health-related goals while navigating their personal sense of self. The text provides a theoretical framework for understanding why individuals often struggle to maintain health-promoting behaviors despite having the intention to do so.

Experts in health psychology recognize this work as a rigorous examination of the cognitive mechanisms governing health behavior. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational resource for researchers and graduate students in the field.