Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent, despite being a primary preventable cause of disease and mortality. This study examined the effect of a Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-based psychoeducational ...intervention for smoking cessation (SC) on knowledge, SC-related parameters, and progression through the TTM stages of change among rural smokers.
This quasi-experimental study recruited 200 smokers from an outpatient clinic. The comparison group was recruited before the experimental group to address possible self-selection bias. Structured questionnaires were administered pre- and post-intervention (three months) and at follow-up (six months).
A generalised estimation equation model indicated that the TTM-based intervention significantly increased participants’ SC-knowledge and improved progression through TTM stages by the six-month follow-up. No significant group differences were found in self-efficacy and nicotine dependence scores or daily cigarette consumption.
A TTM-based intervention enhances SC-knowledge and fosters progress through change stages. However, it does not directly impact nicotine dependence or cigarette consumption. Outpatient settings may employ TTM-based programmes for SC education and motivation. Detecting anticipated effects may require a longer intervention duration exceeding six months.
Such TTM-based programmes may facilitate SC-knowledge and motivation in outpatient settings. Further research to comprehend patients’ context and experiences during the stages of change is required.
•TTM-based smoking cessation interventions delivered in outpatient setting was feasible and effective.•Six-session TTM-based smoking cessation interventions promote positive change in knowledge and progression through stages of change.•Lager follow-ups (>6 months) may be necessary to detect SC self-efficacy.•Effective quitting promotion may involve TTM-based interventions, nicotine replacement therapy, and anti-smoking social contexts.
Cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders (CBT-ED) outperforms other treatments for non-underweight eating disorders in adults, but we have limited ability to match CBT-ED to individual ...profiles. We examined if we could identify who benefits most from two forms of 10-session CBT-ED; one emphasizing early behaviour change with substantial content on improving body image (CBT-T), and the other including motivational work and no content on body image using chapters from self-help books (CBTm). Participants were 98 consecutive referrals to the Flinders University Services for Eating Disorders. Fourteen clinical psychology postgraduates delivered the treatment under expert supervision. Outcome measures were completed on five occasions: baseline, 4-, 10-, 14- and 22-weeks post-randomisation. Our primary outcome was global eating psychopathology. Moderators included motivation (readiness and confidence to change) and body avoidance and body checking. Intent-to-treat analyses showed no difference between the groups with a significant main effect of time associated with large effect size improvements, commensurate with longer forms of CBT-ED. Participants with lower readiness to change in CBTm had significantly greater decreases in disordered eating over follow-up compared to those with low motivation in CBT-T. People with lower readiness to change might benefit from the incorporation of motivational work in CBT-ED.
•Two 10-session cognitive behaviour therapies for eating disorders were compared•Within group effect size changes were commensurate with longer therapies•No difference was detected between the two therapies•Benefit was greater when motivation was addressed for those low in motivation
Few studies have examined exercise adherence in the Mexican population using self-determination theory proposals and the stages of change model. The objectives of this study were:(a) to translate and ...adapt the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3) to Mexican Spanish and examine its internal consistency and factorial structure (six dimensions); and (b) to analyse variations in behavioral regulations using the stages of change model. This study included 530 participants between 11 and 76 years old who lived in the metropolitan area of the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The Mexican version of the BREQ-3 presented an acceptable six-factor model that agrees with the theory and has good internal consistency. Results showed that the less self-determined regulations (i.e., external and amotivation) predominated in the first stages of change (i.e., pre-contemplation and contemplation) and decreased in the last stages (i.e., action and maintenance); by contrast, the more self-determined regulations (i.e., intrinsic, integrated, and identified) predominated in the last stages (i.e., action and maintenance) and were lower in the first stages (i.e., pre-contemplation and contemplation). Linking these two theoretical constructs contributes to understanding physical exercise adherence.
There is a prominent “treatment gap” in relation to at-risk drinking (ARD), whereby a minority of at-risk drinkers ever access treatment. Research suggests that recognition of problem drinking is a ...necessary precursor for help-seeking and treatment.
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of ARD recognition within those meeting criteria for ARD.
PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and MEDLINE were searched using the terms: problem* AND (recogni* OR perceive* OR perception OR self-identif*) AND alcohol - to identify studies published in English between 2000 and 2022. Studies reported the frequency (weighted or unweighted) of participants meeting ARD criteria that also directly identified ARD, perceived a need for help, or endorsed a readiness to change. The prevalence of ARD recognition was estimated using a random-effects meta-analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
17 studies were included which provided data for 33,349 participants with ARD. Most (n = 14) were US studies. ARD was self-identified via a single indicator in 7 studies, whereas recognition was assessed via stages of change in 4 studies and need for help in 6 studies. The pooled prevalence of ARD recognition was 31% (95% CI: 25%−36%), and subgroup analyses indicated alcohol use severity, measure of recognition, and population type to be significant sources of heterogeneity.
Most individuals with ARD fail to recognise their drinking problem so preventive approaches that promote recognition may be helpful. However, we must be cautious of how inconsistency in question framing affects self-reported problem recognition.
•Only 31% of people with at-risk drinking (ARD) recognised their ARD.•Drinking severity, measure of recognition, and population type were significant sources of heterogeneity.•The prevalence of ARD recognition was much lower when measured via perceived need for help compared with readiness to change.•This study offers novel contributions to enable a better understanding of the ARD treatment gap.
This study examined how type of perpetrator (family only FO vs. generally violent GV), readiness to change, and stake in conformity function separately and together in predicting completion of a ...partner abuse intervention program (PAIP). Data were collected from 192 male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) who were court mandated to attend a PAIP. Participants were categorized as FO violent or GV based on a combination of their self-report and official records of violence. Stake in conformity has been defined as the degree to which an individual is invested in the values and institutions of a society. A composite stake in conformity score was computed for each participant based on his education level, and marital and employment status. Each participant was also assigned a stage of change score based on his responses on a validated measure of stage of change for domestic violence perpetrators. Analyses indicated that stage of change was not related to program completion or attendance. Type of perpetrator and stake in conformity composite score were significantly related to program completion. Perpetrators with higher stake in conformity scores and individuals categorized as FO attended more PAIP sessions and were more likely to complete the program. When both predictors were examined together, only stake in conformity composite score uniquely predicted program attendance and completion. These findings provide additional evidence that subtype of IPV perpetrator has implications for treatment responsiveness and provide preliminary evidence for the value of improved measurement of investment in societal institutions.
Episodic future thinking (EFT), a brief intervention involving mental simulation of positive future events, improves delay discounting (DD) in nicotine and alcohol dependent individuals. This study ...is the first to assess effects of a single-session, online episodic training (ET) on constructs that might impact cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. A sample of 200 active cannabis users recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk were randomized to an EFT group (n = 102) or an episodic recent thinking control group (ERT; n = 98). A novel episodic specificity induction (ES) was included to enhance quality of episodic thinking for the ET group, and an ES attention control was provided to the ERT group (control training group; CT). Quality and manipulation ratings of event excitement, vividness, importance, and enjoyment of trainings were collected in addition to DD tasks (gains and losses) and readiness to change cannabis use. The ET group reported higher overall quality and manipulation ratings than did the CT group (p < .001, d = 0.79). DD of gains was lower in the ET relative to those of the CT group after controlling for relevant variables (p = .003, d = 0.48), unlike DD of losses (p = .50, d = 0.11). The ET group showed larger pre/post increases in readiness to change, but they were not statistically significant (p = .069, d = 0.26). These effects, following a session of online ET, suggests that ET may positively impact factors related to reduction in cannabis use. Differential effects of EFT and ES components on DD and the development of ET as an adjunctive mHealth intervention targeting reduction in cannabis use appears warranted.
Introduction: In this study, we examined patients' readiness to change behavior (their stage of change) in a primary care behavioral health (PCBH) setting. We examined sociodemographic and health ...correlates of patients' stage of change and whether stage of change related to follow-up visit attendance. Method: One-hundred eleven adult primary care patients completed self-report measures of psychiatric symptoms, hope, and stage of change at their initial behavioral health session. Demographic, health information, and follow-up visit attendance were gathered from patient electronic health records. Results: Results suggest most patients referred to PCBH providers were in preparation and action stages of change. At the bivariate level, older age and non-Latinx ethnicity were associated with greater readiness to change. At the multivariate level, older age and higher levels of hope were associated with later stages of change. Patients in preparation, but not action, stages of change were significantly more likely to attend a follow-up behavioral health appointment than were patients in precontemplation/contemplation. Discussion: Findings suggest most PCBH patients are prepared to take action or have already taken action to improve their behavioral health. Further, a single item assessing patients' stage of change is associated with continued retention in behavioral health treatment.
Public Significance Statement
The present study suggests patients receiving a warm hand-off to behavioral health providers at integrated primary care clinics serving a low-income and ethnically diverse community are most likely to be in preparation and action stages of change, compared to precontemplation and contemplation. Findings suggest a single item measure of readiness to change may predict attendance at behavioral health sessions, with patients in the preparation stage of change being most likely to return for additional sessions, and that action-oriented intervention strategies are appropriate for most behavioral health patients.
To conduct a meta-analysis of computer technology-based HIV prevention behavioral interventions aimed at increasing condom use among a variety of at-risk populations.
Systematic review and ...meta-analysis of existing published and unpublished studies testing computer-based interventions.
Meta-analytic techniques were used to compute and aggregate effect sizes for 12 randomized controlled trials that met inclusion criteria. Variables that had the potential to moderate intervention efficacy were also tested.
The overall mean weighted effect size for condom use was d = 0.259 (95% confidence interval = 0.201, 0.317; Z = 8.74, P < 0.001; N = 4639), indicating a statistically significant impact of the interventions. This effect size compares favorably to previously tested interventions delivered by human facilitators. Statistically significant effect sizes were also found for frequency of sexual behavior, number of partners, and incident sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, interventions were significantly more efficacious when they were directed at men or women (versus mixed sex groups), utilized individualized tailoring, used a Stages of Change model, and had more intervention sessions.
Computer technology-based HIV prevention interventions have similar efficacy to more traditional human-delivered interventions. Given their low cost to deliver, ability to customize intervention content, and flexible dissemination channels, they hold much promise for the future of HIV prevention.
To synthesize evidence on the prevalences of stages of change (Transtheoretical Model) for smoking cessation in adolescents and associated factors.
A systematic search of Web of Science (Thomson ...Reuters), SCOPUS (Elsevier), MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCO) and PsycINFO (APA) was conducted to identify eligible studies. Two calibrated reviewers selected studies independently, extracted data, and appraised studies. A qualitative synthesis of the findings and meta-analysis of the prevalences of the stages of change for smoking cessation were carried out. A quality effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalences.
Eleven studies (N = 6469 adolescents) from five middle- to high-income countries were included in the review. Precontemplators accounted for 41% of smokers in earlier stages of change (95%CI: 34%–49%). In such a group, a lowered decisional balance, the lowest self-efficacy, and highest nicotine dependence were found (p < .05).
A higher overall prevalence of adolescents in precontemplation stage for smoking cessation was observed. Such group displayed more unfavorable smoking-related behaviors and characteristics than adolescents in other stages. The evidence is limited due to the lack of studies in adolescents living in low-income countries.
This study aimed to investigate (a) what clients’ within-treatment activity preferences were; (b) whether a match between preferences and psychotherapy approach predicted outcomes and alliance; (c) ...whether scores on preference dimensions, per se, predicted outcomes and alliance. Participants were 470 clients engaging in one of five approaches with trainee psychotherapists. We used the Cooper–Norcross Inventory of Preferences to identify clients’ within-treatment activity preferences; and multilevel modelling to examine the relationship between these preferences – and a match on these preferences – to outcomes and alliance. Clients had an overall preference for therapist directiveness and emotional intensity. We found no evidence of a preference matching effect. Clients who expressed a desire for focused challenge over warm support showed greater progress. Client preferences for focused challenge may be indicative of their readiness to change and indicate a positive prognosis. Further research should directly observe therapeutic practices and assess a range of client variables.