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Behavioral theory models
The health belief model
This is where the threat of developing health problems motivates individuals to change their behaviors and start exercising.
Perceived seriousness: The more serious the health threat is, the more likely an individual is to change their habits and start exercising.
Perceived susceptibility: These are individuals’ feelings about their chances of obtaining a health threat.
Cues to action: Environmental and/or physical occurrences that motivate individuals to take action.
Vocabulary to know:
- Hypertension
- Sedentary
Self-efficacy
This is a person’s perception of their abilities to accomplish/succeed.
- Based on past experiences and performance
- Vicarious experiences
- Verbal persuasion: feedback
- Appraisals of physiological states
- Mood appraisals and emotional states
- Imaginal experiences
The trans-theoretical model or TTM
This has to do with how ready one is to make changes.
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The stages of change
- Pre-contemplation: This is a person who is not even thinking about exercising. Very sedentary.
- Contemplation: This sedentary individual is considering starting a workout routine as they begin to see the negative outcomes of being sedentary.
- Preparation: This person works out sometimes and is physically and mentally preparing themselves to start a program.
- Action: This person has exercised regularly but for less than six months.
- Maintenance: This is somebody who has been exercising regularly for more than six months
The change process (super important): Refer to table 4-1 in the manual.
Self-efficacy
Decision balancing: This concerns the number of pros and cons your client perceives exercise will provide them.
Principles of behavioral change
Operant conditioning
This is the process where one’s behaviors are impacted by their consequences.
Antecedents: This is a stimulus that comes before a behavior and commonly signals the consequences of the behavior.
Stimulus control: is when antecedents are controlled within the environment to increase the chance of desirable behaviors.
Consequences:
- Nonoccurrence, presentation, or complete removal of an aversive or positive stimulus.
- Positive reinforcement: Providing positive stimulus that increases the chances that a behavior will happen again.
- Negative reinforcement is avoiding or removing aversive stimulus after an undesirable behavior. Increases the chances that the behavior will happen again.
- Extinction: This happens when a positive stimulus that is used to follow a behavior is taken away. This reduces the chance that it will recur.
- Punishment: This reduces the chances of a behavior reoccurring.
- This decreases enjoyment and increases fear, so use it very sparingly.
- It consists of an aversive stimulus after an undesirable behavior.
Shaping
This is crucial for constructing self-efficacy
Gradually increasing the demands for a behavior or a skill after positive reinforcement.
The program is too easy = the client will get bored
If the program is too difficult, = the client will feel overwhelmed, inadequate, and discouraged
Both scenarios lead to higher dropout rates
Observational learning
Be conscious of the exercise and health behaviors of the people that surround your client. This directly impacts their success.
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Behavior and cognition
Strategies for replacing your client’s irrational thoughts with healthier and more productive ways of thinking. (Refer to page 79).
Behavioral change strategies
Stimulus control
Changing the environment increases one’s chances of healthy behaviors.
Willpower: One can pursue long-term goals despite experiencing short-term discomforts or pleasure.
Behavioral contracting and written agreements
Can be used on their own or together
Your client needs an active role in its development
Techniques for cognitive behavior
SMART goals
Feedback
Extrinsic or intrinsic
As your client’s ability and efficacy improve, the trainer should reduce external feedback so that the clients can start providing their own feedback.
It’s possible to have too much feedback.
Decision-making
This is where you give clients program participation control
As a trainer, you should not micromanage every decision for your client’s program.
Part of being a good trainer includes instilling knowledge into your clients so that they can be successful by themselves.
Self-monitoring
Helps to keep clients on the right path with their program participation and progress (or lack thereof).
Helps to identify barriers
This requires self-reflection as well as honesty from clients
Journaling
Implementing new strategies
Data and information collection never stops
Take psychological variables into account for minor adjustments
Use communication and feedback to overcome barriers and stay aware of changes that may be happening with clients.
Maximize adherence
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Bro.. this is so clutch thank you! I’ve been preparing since November
Hey Jalen,
I’m glad to hear that this is helping you out a ton. I have been working hard on the study guides for the last year or so, so it’s really good to hear positive feedback. Good luck acing the ACE exam!