Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 May 18;52(6):501-512.
doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9816-6.

From Theory-Inspired to Theory-Based Interventions: A Protocol for Developing and Testing a Methodology for Linking Behaviour Change Techniques to Theoretical Mechanisms of Action

Susan Michie  1 , Rachel N Carey  1 , Marie Johnston  2 , Alexander J Rothman  3 , Marijn de Bruin  2 , Michael P Kelly  4 , Lauren E Connell  1
Affiliations

From Theory-Inspired to Theory-Based Interventions: A Protocol for Developing and Testing a Methodology for Linking Behaviour Change Techniques to Theoretical Mechanisms of Action

Susan Michie et al. Ann Behav Med. .

Abstract

Background: Understanding links between behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and mechanisms of action (the processes through which they affect behaviour) helps inform the systematic development of behaviour change interventions.

Purpose: This research aims to develop and test a methodology for linking BCTs to their mechanisms of action.

Methods: Study 1 (published explicit links): Hypothesised links between 93 BCTs (from the 93-item BCT taxonomy, BCTTv1) and mechanisms of action will be identified from published interventions and their frequency, explicitness and precision documented. Study 2 (expert-agreed explicit links): Behaviour change experts will identify links between 61 BCTs and 26 mechanisms of action in a formal consensus study. Study 3 (integrated matrix of explicit links): Agreement between studies 1 and 2 will be evaluated and a new group of experts will discuss discrepancies. An integrated matrix of BCT-mechanism of action links, annotated to indicate strength of evidence, will be generated. Study 4 (published implicit links): To determine whether groups of co-occurring BCTs can be linked to theories, we will identify groups of BCTs that are used together from the study 1 literature. A consensus exercise will be used to rate strength of links between groups of BCT and theories.

Conclusions: A formal methodology for linking BCTs to their hypothesised mechanisms of action can contribute to the development and evaluation of behaviour change interventions. This research is a step towards developing a behaviour change 'ontology', specifying relations between BCTs, mechanisms of action, modes of delivery, populations, settings and types of behaviour.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram outlining the sequencing of studies in this project
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ezzati M. Riboli E. Behavioral and dietary risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. N Engl J Med. 2013; 369(10): 954-964. - PubMed
    1. Kontis V, Mathers CD, Rehm J, et al.Contribution of six risk factors to achieving the 25 × 25 non-communicable disease mortality reduction target: A modelling study. Lancet. 2014;384(9941). - PubMed
    1. Yoon PW, Bastian B, Anderson RN, Collins JL, Jaffe HW. Potentially preventable deaths from the five leading causes of death—United States, 2008–2010. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014; 63(17): 369–374. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Davey P, Brown E, Charani E, et al.Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices for hospital inpatients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;4. - PubMed
    1. Burke JP. Infection control—A problem for patient safety. N Engl J Med. 2003; 348: 651-656. - PubMed

Publication types