Health Psychology, 2nd Edition

CHANGING BEHAVIOUR 223

method used (e.g. active versus passive methods) and the relationship between the
source of the intervention and the recipients. They also categorized recipient type and
showed moderation effects for age and gender. However, other aspects of interventions
can affect intervention effectiveness such as the nature of comparison groups and how
the intervention was designed. So conclusions are limited by the range of characteristics
categorized. Nonetheless, when answers to all five of these questions are positive, such
studies can identify ‘best bet’ intervention content for designers.
A different use of meta-analysis that may inform intervention design is the synthesis
of experimental data to estimate the effect sizes that may be achieved by using particular
change techniques. For example, in a large review of experimental tests, Sheeran et al.
(2015) identified interventions capable of generating changes in attitudes, norms and
self-efficacy (compared to control comparisons) and observed that changes in these
processes (or determinants of motivation) generated medium-sized changes in intention
(ds = 0.48, 0.49 and 0.51, respectively) and small to medium sized changes in
behaviour (ds = 0.36, 0.38 and 0.47, respectively). In this type of meta-analysis the
content of intervention is given by the primary studies and the review estimates
the average effect sizes following observed change in a given change process. Again,
the size of the study sample is important to robustness and, again, variation in type of
recipient and mode of delivery (including source and context of delivery) may
moderate observed effect sizes.

• Adoption of
  interventions


• Behavioural contract


• Change objectives


• Change techniques


• Choice architecture


• CONSORT guidelines


• Control theory


• Default opt-in
  systems


• Delivery methods


• Elicitation research


• Evaluation – economic


• Evaluation – outcome


• Evaluation – process


• Fear appeals


• Feedback


• Food rehabilitation


• Goal setting


• Goal theory
  
  
  • Habit reversal therapy
  
  
  • If-then planning
  
  
  • Information, moti -
    vation and behavioural
    skills model
  
  
  • Inhibition training
  
  
  • Instruction
  
  
  • Intention-to-treat
    analysis
  
  
  • Intervention mapping
  
  
  • Modelling
  
  
  • Motivational
    interviewing
  
  
  • Motor skills
  
  
  • Multi-level modelling
  
  
  • Needs assessment
  
  
  • NUDGE
  
  
  • Organizational and
    community
    interventions
    
    
    • Public health
    
    
    • Reach and
      sustainability of
      interventions
    
    
    • RE-AIM framework
    
    
    • Reflective impulsive
      model
    
    
    • Regulatory processes
    
    
    • Reinforcement
    
    
    • Relapse prevention
    
    
    • Reporting guidelines
    
    
    • Self-monitoring
    
    
    • Self-regulation
      skills
    
    
    • Social ecological
      model
    
    
    • Social skills
    
    
    • Source of persuasive
      communication
    
    
    • Stress management
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

KEY CONCEPTS AND TERMS

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