Behaviour change strategies have continuously been implemented into psychological interventions in order to target specific behaviours. Thus, behaviour change interventions have been designed to alter the prevalence of behaviour(s) in order to produce improvements in individuals’ and populations’ health[1]. The current study analysed the effectiveness of motivational and behavioural strategies for increasing physical activity among middle-aged and older adults whilst promoting healthy ageing[2]. Here, there is a focus on promoting a health behaviour (physical activity) rather than reducing a health-harming one (sedentary behaviour). The research suggests that an individual may have many perceived barriers to physical activity (e.g. time, cost, pain, lack of enjoyment, fear of falling) that result in low levels of motivation and a failure to maintain, through self-regulation, an active lifestyle. Self-regulation can make an individual more aware of when their exercise habits are diminishing, allowing them to implement strategies to counteract maintenance problems[3].
The focus on a motivational approach suggests enabling individuals to develop meaningful and personalised programmes that can be integrated into daily life. Following a personalised approach to exercise allows an individual’s values, beliefs, emotional state, goals, socioeconomic circumstances and environmental context to be taken into consideration. Therefore, providing a holistic style of coaching allows for the acknowledgement of barriers whilst encouraging the achievement of realistic goals. Furthermore, there is the suggestion that using a personalised approach to support healthy ageing can help to emphasise the importance of an individual’s perceived ability to control, cope with, and make personal decisions about their daily living.
To create a multifaceted approach to behaviour change, allows for the combination of theoretically derived interventions that consist of cognitive and behavioural components (e.g. the Theory of Planned Behaviour; the Health Action Process Approach Model; the Trans-Theoretical Model; the Health Belief Model). The use of outcome expectancies, self-regulation/monitoring, social support and goal setting can all be used simultaneously to promote sustained behaviour change, alongside the cognitive restructuring of negative attitudes and misconceptions plus providing feedback and incentives.
The use of behaviour change strategies to increase physical activity is deemed important in the overall maintenance of behaviour change. The implementation of these strategies should be considered in order to create a fully personalised approach to training, allowing clients to understand and acknowledge their barriers, whilst also having the resources to motivate and maintain physical activity levels. The trainer can utilise this approach to ensure individualised and unique training that is targeted towards long-term behaviour change.
References
[1] CONNER, M and P. NORMAN, 2005. Predicting Health Behaviour. United Kingdom: McGraw-Hill Education
[2] LACHMAN, M et al., 2018. When Adults Don’t Exercise: Behavioural Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in Sedentary Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Innovation in Ageing, 2(1)
[3] CARELS, R et al., 2005. The relationship between self-monitoring, outcome expectancies, difficulties with eating and exercise, and physical activity and weight loss treatment outcomes. Annals of Behavioural Medicine, 30(3), 182-190
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