1. Methods for strengthening evaluation and implementation: specifying components of behaviour change interventions

Principal Investigator: Professor Susan Michie, University College London

Co-investigators: Professor Marie Johnston, University College London and University of Aberdeen; Professor Charles Abraham, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry; Dr Jill Francis, University of Aberdeen; Dr Wendy Hardeman, University of Cambridge; Professor Martin Eccles, Newcastle University (all co-applicants)

Research Fellow: Dr Caroline Wood, University College London

Funded by the Medical Research Council, UK.

Background: We lack a shared language for describing the content, especially the active ingredients, of behaviour change interventions (i.e. the techniques that lead to behaviour change). This limits the possibility of replicating effective interventions, of synthesising evidence, and of understanding the causal mechanisms underlying behaviour change. In order to strengthen the knowledge base required for such interventions to be more effective, replicable and implementable, this study will develop methods to produce, and develop, an electronically accessible nomenclature of BCTs, together with evidence of its scientific rigour and acceptability to potential users.

Aim: The broad aims of this project are to i) develop a reliable and generalizable nomenclature of behaviour change techniques as a method for specifying, evaluating and implementing complex behavioural change interventions and ii) achieve its multidisciplinary and international acceptance and use to allow for its continous development.

Methods: The first phase will develop the nomenclature. Experts in behaviour change will then define the key attributes of each technique and how it relates to and differs from others, using a consensus development method, the Delphi method. The second phase will test the nomenclature. Trained experts, equipped with a coding manual and guidance, will use the nomenclature to code published descriptions of complex interventions. Reliability between experts, over time and across types of user, will be assessed. We will also assess whether using the nomenclature to write intervention descriptions enhances the clarity and replicability of interventions. The third phase will develop a web-based users' resource of clearly specified and non-redundant techniques, and an interactive web-based platform (a Wiki).

For further information on this study, go to the BCT Taxonomy website, or read the study protocol.

2. Changing behaviour: towards best practice in the development of complex interventions

Principal Investigators: Professor Susan Michie, University College London; Professor Rona Campbell, University of Bristol

Research Fellow: Dr Christopher Russell, Sarah Dowling MSc, University College London

Funded by the Medical Research Council, UK.

Background: Recent research has suggested that interventions grounded in theories of behaviour change are likely to produce greater changes than those which are not explicitly based on theory. However, we lack evidence as to which theories are considered the most useful in changing behaviour. Existing research on behaviour change in relation to health has been criticised for being too individually focused, and insufficiently taking context into account and integrating multidisciplinary perspectives.

Aim: This project aims to identify and evaluate a range of behaviour change theories and their application in empirical research across the disciplines of psychology, sociology, anthropology and economics.

Methods: We are conducting a systematic review of key psychological, sociological, anthropological and economic theories which can be used to change behaviour, guided by a multidisciplinary expert advisory group. The findings of the review will be used to inform the development and evaluation of theory-based behaviour change interventions to improve health and health care.

For further information on this study, view the EHPS and BPS DHP 2011 posters designed by Lorna Hobbs, a former Research Assistant on the project.

3. Exploring the validity of a theoretical framework for implementation research

Principal Investigator: Professor Susan Michie, University College London

Co-investigators: Dr Daniel Wight (co-applicant), Professor Marie Johnston, Dr Rebecca Lawton, Professor Martin Eccles

Research Fellow: Dr James Cane, University College London

Background: There are a large number of theories relevant to behavioural change. However, often those designing interventions to change behaviour do not draw on these to inform their interventions. This is partly due to the plethora of overlapping constructs and theory. In order to make theory more useable across a variety of disciplines, a consensus-based theoretical framework was produced by the “Psychological Theory group” (Michie et al, 2005). This project seeks to validate this theoretical framework and to develop a questionnaire-based measure that can be used i) as a diagnostic tool to identify and assess implementation problems and ii) to investigate the role of the different theoretical domains in both professional and population health behavioural change.

Aims: There are two key aims of this project:
i) To validate a theoretical framework developed to increase understanding of the behaviour change processes inherent in behaviour change interventions.
ii) To develop a reliable and valid questionnaire-based measure to investigate the role of the different theoretical domains in health behavioural change.

Methods: Experts in behaviour change theory will be recruited to complete two card sorting tasks: an open sort task and a closed sort task. The open sort task will be used to identify whether the constructs naturally form groups as described in the original framework. The closed sort task will be used to identify the extent to which experts believe a construct belongs to a domain. For both tasks the results will be compared with the original framework to identify any redundant or additional domain groupings. The validated framework will then be used to inform the development of the questionnaire-based measure.

Michie, S., Johnston, M., Abraham, C., Lawton, R., Parker, D., Walker, A., et al. (2005). Making psychological theory useful for implementing evidence based practice: a consensus approach. Qual Saf Health Care, 14, 26-33. doi:10.1136/qshc.2004.011155