Evaluate the contribution of the transtheoretical model to the understanding of health behaviours and design of intervention.

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Student Number: 1516238

338PY Applied Health Psychology

Coursework 1: Evaluate the contribution of the transtheoretical model to the understanding of health behaviours and design of intervention.

Module Leader: Dr Orla Dunn

Marker: Dr Orla Dunn

Student Number: 1516238

Charlotte Green

Evaluate the contribution of the transtheoretical model to the understanding of health behaviours and design of interventions.

The transtheoretical model was developed by in the 1983, as a theoretical model of changing behaviours. It has helped develop successful interventions which promote health behaviour change. The model is based around five stages of change, pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. It also includes ten cognitive and behavioural variables, known as the processes of change.

Many other approaches to health behaviours concentrate on the social aspect of health promotion, for example the theory of planned behaviour, takes into account how socially acceptable things are. Whereas this model focuses much more on the individual, and their intentions and decisions towards changes in their own health behaviours.

This model has been influential in many other areas of health promotion, including smoking, alcoholism, sex and healthy eating. It helps to promote and individualistic approach, where the individual can tailor the model to their own personal health behaviours, and promote change.

A study looking at adolescents’ consumption of carbonated drinks (Buchanan and Coulson, 2007) supports the transtheoretical model. The findings show that many of the teens are either in the pre-contemplation or contemplation stage in regards to changing the consumption of the fizzy drinks, and suggest that using this model would help provide a framework to create tailored health promotion interventions.

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Another study carried out in 2006 researching the consumption of fruit and vegetables among adolescents also supported the transtheoretical model (Di Noia, Schinke, Prochaska, Contento, 2006) The results showed that the adolescents in later stages in the cycle were more successful in changing their behaviours than those in the pre contemplation or contemplation stage, those in the later stages also used more processes of change. This would then suggest that using the transtheoretical model interventions can be developed to increase fruit and vegetable consumptions.

The use of the TTM based interventions introduces the idea of a stage-matched intervention. Where the ...

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