Theories of behaviour change Flashcards
What are the theories of behaviour change applied to addiction
- Theory of planned behaviour
- Prochaska’s 6 stage model of behaviour change
Outline the premise of theory of planned behaviour
- We change out behaviour deliberately through rational desicions.
- The TPB asserts that our behaviour can then be predicted from our intentions.
- The TPB suggests our intention to use (or give up) drugs arises from 3 key influences: our personal attitudes, subjective norms and percieved behavioural control.
How many components are there for the theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
4
What are the components of the theory of planned behaviour
- Personal attitudes
- subjective norms
- percieved behaviour control
- behavioural intention
What can the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) explain
TPB can explain why someone may be successful in quitting addictive behaviours and why someone else might not.
TPB
Outline 1. personal attitudes
An addicted persons attitudes are a combination of favourable and unfavourable opinions about their addiction.
Favourable attitudes of addiction come about if the person believes the outcome accociated with gambling (/the addiction) is positive. Attitudes may become unfavourable which leads to a reduced interest in addiction-related behaviour.
1. Personal attitudes
Accourding to Theory of planned beahaviour (TPB) what will be the outcome for a gambler who evaluates to find they have a negative attitude towards gambling
they will likely form an intention to gamble less
Outline 2. Subjective norms
- Subjective norms are the addicted persons’ beliefs about whether those who matter to them most approve or disapprove of their addictive behaviour.
- The beliefs are based on what the addicted person belives to be the normal behaviour.
2. Subjective norms
According to the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) what will be the outcome of the addict believing their friends and family would be unhappy with them gambling.
This would likely lead to them forming an intention not to gamble and therefore making them less likely to actually gamble.
Where have 2. subjective norms been used in real life
O’Connell et al 2009:
found that the students often overestimate the amount their peers are drinking so drink more to keep up with the percieved norm
Outline 3. Percieved behavioural control
- percieve behavioural control is about how much control we believe we have over our behaviour (i.e. self-efficacy)
- Their percieved behavioural control depends on their perception of the resources available to them, both external (time, support) and internal (ability and effort).
- It can have 2 effects - direct or indirect
Explain what is mean by directly and indirectly effecting behaviour in 3. Percieved behaviour control
- Indirectly: it can influences through intentions - the more control they believe they have the stronger their ability to do so.
- directly: the greater their percieved control over their gambling the longer and harder they will try to stop.
how do therapist influence percieve behavioural control
By increasing an addicts self-efficacy they can help them quit and/or avoid relapse.
This is done by encouraging an optimistic outlook and confidence in their ability along with the understanding that quitting/ abstaining will require effort.
Outline 4. behavioural intention
- Is the person likely to stop their addictive behaviour? will the treatment plan work?
- This is the last stage and is made up of the 3 other stages:
e.g. if they realise their addiction is dangerous, if their social group supports the change and if the individual believes they can succeed - then the treatment programme is more likely to work
Give research to support the Theory of planned behaviour (TPB)
Pelling and white 2009
Outline Pelling and White 2009
Investigated the usefulness of TPB model in the prediction of use of social networking websites (SNW). They had participants complete 2 surveys a week apart.
The first asked standard TPB questions alongside questions to explore self-identity, belongingness and addictive tendencies.
The second asked the number of days they had made 4+ visits to a SNW.
Give the findings of Pelling and White 2009
They found that the measure of self-identity was a good indicator of SNW activity but belongingness was not.
However both belongingness and self-identity were good predictors of addictive tendencies.
Evaluate Pelling and White 2009
- S - supports TPB’s usefulness in predicting likelihood of whether a young person is likely to engage in high-frequency use of SNW.
- W - lacks temporal validity - e.g teams would be considered a SNW but it is now the basis of many businesses and school.
Evaluate the theory of planned behaviour
- S - research support: O’Connell et al 2009 and Pelling and White 2009
- W - doesnt account for intention-behaviour where people behaviour doesn’t change despite their intentions this suggests that the theory doesnt predict behaviour change which means its cant be used to help change behaviour.
How many components are there for Prochaska’s ☐-stage model of behaviour change
6
What are the stages in Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change
- Precontemplation
- contemplation
- preparation
- action
- maintenance
- termination
Outline Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change
what it is/ explains
- It explains the stages people go through to change their behaviour.
- It identifies 6 stages from not considering it at all to making permenant changes. The stages are not necessarily followed in a linear order.
Prochaska
Outline 1. Precontemplation
give quote to desribe the stage
- Due to denial or demotivation a person isnt trying to change in the near future (6 months)
- Aim of this stage is getting a person to consider the need for change
‘ignorance is bliss’
Prochaska
Outline 2. contemplation
give quote to desribe the stage
- The individual is considering changing they are increasingly aware for the need but also the cost of less enjoyment
- individuals can stay in this state for a long time so the most useful help is to get them to see the pros outweigh the cons
‘sitting on the fence’
Prochaska
Outline 3. preparation
Give quote to describe the stage
- The individual believes the benefits outweigh the costs, they have decided to change within the next month. They have yet to decide how and when
- useful form of intervention is support in constructing the plan
‘okay I’m ready for this’
Prochaska
Outline 4. action
include quote to describe the stage
- people at this stage have done something to change their behaviour in the last 6 months e.g. cognitive/ behavioural therapy, poured their alcohol down the sink, cut up their cigerettes.
- Effective intevention focuses on developing coping skills to maintain their change of behaviour so they can move to the next stage.
‘let’s do this’
Prochaska
Outline 5. maintenance
include quote to desribe stage
- The individual has maintained some change of behaviour for more than 6 months.
- The focus is on relapse prevention - avoid cues that trigger
- Intervention focuses on relapse prevention, and aims to help apply the coping skills and use the support available
‘stay on track’
Prochaska
Outline 6. termination
include quote to describe stage
- Newly required behaviours such as abstinance become automatic.
- The individual no longer relapses
- It may be an unrealistic goal for some people to achieve so they should focus on prolonging maintenance as long as they can.
- No intervention is required.
‘i did it’
Give research for Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change
Velicer 2007
Outline Velicer 2007
Velicer 2007:
a meta-analysis of 5 studies on smoking cessation based on the Prochaska’s model. They found they had a 22-26% success rate on correctly predicting if a client gave up smoking and that there was no demographic difference in success.
Evaluate Velicer 2007
- S - no demographic differences increases the universality of the model
- W - sample was of only 5 studies - limited
- W - low success rate in predicting cessation suggests that psychologists are missing something
Evaluate Prochaska’s six-stage model of behaviour change
- S - views recovery as a dynamic process - provides a more holistic view of addiction that is more forgiving by recycling the stages and therefore making it more likely that an individual will continue.
- W - contradictory research from Taylor et al 2006’s metaanalysis which shows that the model is no more effective than alternatives e.g. the theory of planned behaviour.
