© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Strategies for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors Chapter 13

Chapter Overview Health and lifestyle behaviors Health and lifestyle behaviors Health-behavior assessment Health-behavior assessment Selected lifestyle behaviors Selected lifestyle behaviors Barriers to action Barriers to action Locus of control Locus of control © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Chapter Overview (cont.) Methods for decreasing stressful behaviors Methods for decreasing stressful behaviors Application of behavior-change techniques Application of behavior-change techniques Behavior change theories and stress Behavior change theories and stress –Stages of change theory –Health belief model –Self-efficacy theory –Goal-setting theory © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Health and Lifestyle Behaviors Health behavior: Activities taken by people who believe themselves to be healthy and that are designed to maintain health; a subclass of lifestyle behaviors Health behavior: Activities taken by people who believe themselves to be healthy and that are designed to maintain health; a subclass of lifestyle behaviors –Examples: Limiting sugar and salt in your diet, avoiding smoking cigarettes, exercising Lifestyle behavior: All of the activities in which people engage Lifestyle behavior: All of the activities in which people engage –Examples: Daily chores, going to school or work, meeting new people, listening intently to a lecture © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Health-Behavior Assessment Before you can change health-related behaviors, you must identify behaviors that need to be changed Before you can change health-related behaviors, you must identify behaviors that need to be changed Take Lab Assessment 13.1 to do this Take Lab Assessment 13.1 to do this After completing, examine the items that could be changed After completing, examine the items that could be changed © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Are Your Behaviors Healthy? (Lab 13.1) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Are Your Behaviors Healthy? (Lab 13.1, cont.) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Selected Lifestyle Behaviors Take Lab Assessment 13.2 to identify lifestyle behaviors that you would like to adopt Take Lab Assessment 13.2 to identify lifestyle behaviors that you would like to adopt Add other behaviors that are not on the list Add other behaviors that are not on the list © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Action Barriers to action: Reasons given as preventing one from engaging in certain activities Barriers to action: Reasons given as preventing one from engaging in certain activities Take Lab Assessment 13.3 to identify barriers Take Lab Assessment 13.3 to identify barriers © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

What Are Your Barriers to Behaving Healthfully? (Lab 13.3) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Locus of Control Locus of control: Perception of one’s control over events that affect one’s life Locus of control: Perception of one’s control over events that affect one’s life Use Lab Assessment 13.4 as a guide to reducing stressful behaviors Use Lab Assessment 13.4 as a guide to reducing stressful behaviors © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Decreasing Stressful Behaviors: A Guide (Lab 13.4) © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Methods for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors Self-monitoring: Observing and recording behavior Self-monitoring: Observing and recording behavior Tailoring: Making changes specific to the life of the individual Tailoring: Making changes specific to the life of the individual Material reinforcement: Rewarding a behavior with a tangible object Material reinforcement: Rewarding a behavior with a tangible object Social reinforcement: Rewarding a behavior with social approval Social reinforcement: Rewarding a behavior with social approval Social support: Emotional or informational support from a friend Social support: Emotional or informational support from a friend © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Methods for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors (cont.) Self-contracting: Making a contract with oneself to change behavior Self-contracting: Making a contract with oneself to change behavior –Contracting with a significant other, a person who is important to you Shaping: Changing behavior a little at a time Shaping: Changing behavior a little at a time Reminders: Receiving messages to promote behavior change Reminders: Receiving messages to promote behavior change Self-help groups Self-help groups Professional help Professional help © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Application of Behavior-Change Techniques Example: Exercise Example: Exercise –Identify desired behavior –Identify barriers –Self-monitor behavior –Write a self-contract or contract with a significant other –Tailor the program –Include material or social reinforcement © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Application of Behavior-Change Techniques (cont.) Example: Exercise Example: Exercise –Shaping: start with an easy program –Use reminders –Consider using self-help groups or professional help © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Behavior Change Theories and Stress Stages of Change Theory Stages of Change Theory –Precontemplation –Contemplation –Decision/determination –Action –Maintenance © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Behavior Change Theories and Stress (cont.) Health Belief Model Health Belief Model –Consider consequences of actions Perceived susceptibility Perceived susceptibility Perceived severity Perceived severity Perceived benefits of the behavior Perceived benefits of the behavior Consider cues to encourage behavior Consider cues to encourage behavior Consider your confidence in the ability to perform the behavior Consider your confidence in the ability to perform the behavior © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Behavior Change Theories and Stress (cont.) Self-Efficacy Theory Self-Efficacy Theory –Confidence in ability to carry out the change is predictor of success –Four ways to increase confidence: Performance attainment Performance attainment Vicarious experience Vicarious experience Verbal persuasion Verbal persuasion Physiological state Physiological state © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Behavior Change Theories and Stress (cont.) Goal-Setting Theory Goal-Setting Theory –Moderately difficult goal is best –Establish proximal and distal goals –People with higher self-efficacy set higher goals –Self-efficacy and importance assigned to goal are predictors of success –Core properties include specificity and difficulty of goal, anticipated benefits, and feedback © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Decreasing Stressful Behaviors Chapter 13 © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.