Table 3 Definition of four new behavior change techniques with examples
From: Towards a taxonomy of behavior change techniques for promoting shared decision making
New BCT name | Proposed definition | Example | Quote | Frequency of use N (%)* | Closest existing BCT(s) in BCTTv1 | How the new BCT differs from the closest existing BCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Providing background information | Provide general information, e.g., about diagnosis and treatment options, to facilitate the behavior. | Explain in a cardiovascular diseases (CVD) health booklet details about the diagnosis, symptoms of the disease, and describe treatment options. | “The booklet provides general information on CVD, CVD-risk factors and lifestyle changes, and medication options for improving cardiovascular health.” Lalonde, 2006 | 43 (49.4%) | BCT: Information about health consequences Definition: Provide information (e.g., written, verbal, visual) about health consequences of performing the behavior. Group: Natural consequences | Providing background information about the problem requiring a behavior change is not about the different types of consequences of the behavior, but is about other relevant background information such as the cause, symptoms, or prognosis of a disease. |
Tailoring | Provide personalized information or a vehicle (e.g., brochure, video, app) adapted to the individual or specific group’s needs (e.g., personal risk information) | Provide a personal risk assessment of the patient’s chance of fracture; adapt video clips to a patient’s individual response patterns. | “The Osteoporosis Choice decision aid provides the patient’s individualized 10-year risk estimate risk of having a major osteoporotic fracture (i.e., clinical [“symptomatic”] spine, forearm, hip, or shoulder fracture).” Montori, 2011 “A scoring algorithm was developed to link questionnaire responses to specific skills so that the video clips presented to a viewer could be tailored to their individual response patterns and preference for a particular character.” Roter, 2012 | 27 (31.03%) | BCT: Problem solving Definition: Analyze, or prompt the person to analyze, factors influencing the behavior and generate or select strategies that include overcoming barriers and/or increasing facilitators (includes “Relapse Prevention” and “Coping Planning”). Group: Goals and planning | While “Problem solving” is conditional on problems that could arise when attempting to adopt the behavior, and depends on the individual to implement it, “Tailoring” is a mechanism built into an intervention that adapts it to each individual profile. |
Mental preparation for the behavior | Provide conceptual exercises (includes quizzes and values clarification exercises) to better prepare for the behavior. | Ask someone to identify, clarify and prioritize their values and preferences regarding surgery. | “An exercise on values clarification in which patients ranked their personal goals associated with two major surgery types (autologous vs. implant) from 1 (does not reflect my personal values at all) to 5 (reflects my personal values very well).” Causarano, 2015 | 12 (13.8%) | BCT: Behavioral practice/rehearsal Definition: Prompt practice or rehearsal of the performance of the behavior one or more times in a context or at a time when the performance may not be necessary, in order to increase habit and skill. Group: Repetition and substitution | While “Behavioral practice/rehearsal” focuses on the target behavior and aims at increasing habit or skills, “Mental preparation for the behavior” targets sub-behaviors necessary at a more conceptual level and aims at preparing for a (future) behavior by reflecting on one’s personal life choices regarding the behavior. |
Experience sharing and learning | Benefit from others’ experiences through testimony or share experiences with others about one’s own learning regarding the behavior. | Ask a woman who has already undergone chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer to share her experiences with a group of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to encourage them to follow the treatment. | “The modules include … vignettes from a racially diverse group of patients describing their experience with a particular test.” Schroy, 2011 | 7 (8.04%) | BCT: Information about others’ approval Definition: Provide information about what other people think about the behavior. The information clarifies whether others will like, approve or disapprove of what the person is doing or will do. Group: Comparison of behavior group | “Experience sharing and learning” goes further than approval or disapproval. It focuses on learning by sharing the experience of adopting the behavior. From the point of view of experience sharing, it aims to help the person contextualize, relativize and better deepen his or her own reflection in relation to someone else’s experience. From the point of view of learning it aims at consolidating learning. |