Techniques of Behaviour Change

Question 1

What is the behaviour change wheel

Answer 1

Behaviour is influenced by capability and opportunity

Capability and opportunity contribute to motivation

Question 2

What are behaviour change techniques

Answer 2

a systemic strategy used in an attempt to change behaviours

Question 3

Give examples of some behaviour change techniques

Answer 3

Providing information on consequences
Prompting specific goal setting
Prompting barrier identification
Modelling the behaviour
Planning social support

Question 4

How many behaviour change techniques are there

Answer 4

93

Question 5

How are BCTs chosen

Answer 5

Behavioural target specification
Behavioural diagnosis
Intervention strategy selection
Implementation strategy selection
Selection of specific BCTs

Question 6

What is self monitoring

Answer 6

An individual keeping a record of target behaviours
Additional information recorded can help to identify barriers e.g. mood, weather
Role in increasing physical activity and healthy eating studied (Michie et al., 2009)

Question 7

What is the disadvantage of self monitoring

Answer 7

Time-consuming over the long term

Question 8

What is motivational interviewing

Answer 8

A person-centred counselling style for addressing the common problem of ambivalence about change

Question 9

What is an intervention

Answer 9

more broad than techniques - treatment or action plan that can incorporate multiple techniques

Question 10

What is the focus for the clinician in motivational interviewing

Answer 10

MI ‘Spirit’
MI-consistent behaviours
MI-inconsistent behaviours
Using specific techniques

Question 11

What are the factors to look out for in the client in motivational interviewing

Answer 11

Change Talk/Intention
Stage of Change e.g. readiness to change
Co-operation, engagement or disclosure (client engagement/involvement)
Resistance to change (client resistance)
Self-confidence
Sense of discrepancy

Question 12

What are implementation intentions

Answer 12

AKA Action Plans
Request an individual to think about critical situations to act and appropriate responses within those situations
IF-THEN
e.g. IF it’s Friday morning at 9am THEN I will go for a run from my house around the park

Question 13

What are the advantages of incentives/reinforcement

Answer 13

Cost-effective
Raise awareness
Bring individuals into contact with health services allowing earlier screening and treatment of illness
Can be effective in changing health and clinical behaviours, thus preventing disease and reducing costs associated with disease.

Question 14

What are disadvantages fir incentives/reinforcement

Answer 14

Lack of generalization (only affects behaviour regarding the specific trait that is being rewarded).
Poor maintenance (rapid extinction of the desired behaviour once the reinforcer disappears)
Impractical and expensive

Question 15

Is it better to change multiple behaviours at one time?

Answer 15

Targeting multiple behaviours at the same time may lead to greater overall change but sub-additivity is an issue

Question 16

Are interventions that comprise more BCTs effective?

Answer 16

Yes, to a degree

Moderately complex interventions combining a small number of techniques might be most useful

Question 17

Does tailoring educational materials to individual result in larger changes?

Answer 17

Yes – small benefit on effectiveness of behavioural interventions (review of 57 studies)