Health Psychology, Behaviour Change and Smoking Cessation

Question 1

What is the Health Belief Model (Becker 1974)?

Answer 1

Individuals will change if they:
- Believe that they are susceptible to the condition in question.
- Believe that is has serious consequences.
- Believe that taking action reduces susceptibility.
- Believe that the benefits of taking action outweigh the costs.

Question 2

What are the 4 key aspects to the health belief model?

Answer 2

1) Perceived susceptibility.
2) Perceived severity.
3) Perceived benefits.
4) Perceived barriers - most important factor for addressing behaviour change!

Question 3

‘Cues to action’ are another important aspect of the health belief model. What is meant by this?

Answer 3

External: Reminder letters/phone calls from GP
Internal: Worsening pain/breathlessness could trigger someone to change

Question 4

Give 3 disadvantages of the health belief model.

Answer 4

1. Health beliefs may be affected by alternative factors e.g. outcome expectancy and self efficacy.
2. The model does not consider the influence of emotions on behaviour.
3. Cues to action are often missing in research.
4. It does not differentiate between first time and repeat behaviours.

Question 5

The Theory of Planned Behaviour proposes that the best predictor of behaviour is intention. What are the 3 predictors of intention?

Answer 5

1. A persons attitudes to behaviour.
2. Subjective norm: the perceived social pressure to undertake the behaviour.
3. Perceived behavioural control: a person’s appraisal of their ability to perform the behaviour.

Question 6

Theory of Planned Behaviour: Only 50% of intentions transfer to behaviours. How can we bridge this gap?

Answer 6

1) Perceived Control
2) Anticipated regret
3) Preparatory actions
4) Relevance to self
5) Implementary intentions

Question 7

Give 3 disadvantages to the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Answer 7

1. Lack of temporal element and lack of direction or causality.
2. The model doesn’t taken into account emotions.
3. The model doesn’t explain how attitudes, intentions and perceived behavioural control interact.
4. Relies on self-reported behaviour.
5. Good for predicting intentions but not as successful for actual behaviours.

Question 8

Describe the transtheoretical model.

Answer 8

1. Pre-contemplation - no intention of stopping smoking.
2. Contemplation - thinking about giving up.
3. Preparation - getting ready to quit in near future.
4. Action - engaged in giving up.
5. Maintenance - steady no smoker, state of change reached.
   Relapse?

Question 9

Give advantages and disadvantages of the TTM of change

Answer 9

Advantages:
1. Acknowledges individual stages.
2. Accounts for relapse.
3. Temporal element.
Disadvantages:
1. Not all people move through every stage.
2. Change might operate on a continuum, not discreet stages.
3. Doesn’t take into account habits, culture, social and economic factors.

Question 10

Give 3 external factors that are important when thinking about behaviour change.

Answer 10

1. Impact of personality traits.
2. Assessment of risk perception.
3. Impact of past behaviour/habit.
4. Social environment.

Question 11

NICE guidance suggests that there are certain transition points in a person life where they are more susceptible to behaviour change. Name 3.

Answer 11

1. Leaving school.
2. Entering workforce.
3. Becoming a parent.
4. Becoming unemployed.
5. Retirement and bereavement