The #physiotalk tweet chat on Monday 22nd May at 8pm BST is all about behaviour change.
There is overwhelming evidence that changing people’s health-related behaviour can have a major impact on some of the largest causes of mortality and morbidity, so it is vital that physiotherapists have behaviour change knowledge that they can use to influence their patients lifestyle choices. Actions to bring about behaviour change may be delivered at individual, household, community or population levels using a variety of means or techniques.
So it is important – but do we as physiotherapists know the evidence based tools and techniques that can be used to best effect? There are several in common use and the tweetchat will focus on those that are commonly used to promote change in physical activity – the COM-B approach and the behaviour wheel.
Capability: whether we have the knowledge, skills and abilities required to engage in a particular behaviour
Opportunity: the external factors which make the execution of a particular behaviour possible
Motivation: the internal processes which influence our decision making and behaviours
Behaviour: The desired outcome – the individual’s behaviour will change
The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) was developed from 19 frameworks of behaviour change identified in a systematic literature review. It consists of three layers. This model recognises that behaviour is part of an interacting system involving all these components. Interventions need to change one or more of them in such a way as to put the system into a new configuration and minimise the risk of it reverting.
Surrounding the hub is a layer of nine intervention functions to choose from based on the particular COM-B analysis one has undertaken.
The outer layer, the rim of the wheel, identifies seven policy categories that can support the delivery of these intervention functions.
Michie S, Atkins L, West R. (2014) The Behaviour Change Wheel: A Guide to Designing Interventions. London: Silverback Publishing. http://www.behaviourchangewheel.com.
Chat questions
- Do you use a behaviour change approach in your practice?
- What models of behaviour change are you familiar with and use?
- If you use the COM-B model, how do you assess patients capability?
- If you use the COM-B model, how do you assess patients opportunity?
- If you use the COM-B model, how do you assess patients motivation?
- Have you had training in using behaviour change or motivational interviewing techniques?
- Have you considered how to use digital technologies to support behaviour change?
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