Towards An Online Tool for Selecting a Behavior Change Theory for Use in Communication Program Planning

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:  It is often recommended that communication program planners use theory in planning behavior change interventions.  However, selecting a theory is not easy.  Formal behavioral and social science theories are often merely invoked after program plans have already been made.  We hypothesized that it would be possible to create an online tool to help relatively uninitiated intervention planners leverage the social science literature that has articulated and validated formal theories of behavioral change. 

Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis):  CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control supported the creation and beta-testing of a Web-based tool for theory selection as an ancillary part of a suite of online products. The initial version of the tool will include six well-specified theories of behavior change.  The tool is designed to: 1) rank-order the theories with regard to a particular health behavior change problem and context, 2) offer examples of successful use of the theories, 3) spell out limitations and major critiques of the theories, 4) link users to resources for measuring the major constructs of the theories, 5) and access additional resources and literature pertaining to the theories. The tool will ask the user a series of plain English, closed-ended questions and use the responses to rank order the theories.  Finally, the tool will describe theoretical frameworks that are too broad to be programmed in this structured manner, but that should be considered as planning proceeds because they offer important insights about what drives and constrains behavior.

Conclusions:  The limitations of the tool include the small number of theories in the initial version, and the fact that the theories have evolved over time.  This evolution has created an increasing amount of overlap among the most commonly used theories.  Also, not all relevant aspects of a planner’s situation can be queried.  Consequently, users are advised to consider two or three of the theories that receive top rankings.  In addition, some experts believe that it is more useful to use fragments of various theories than to structure an intervention and its evaluation around a single intact theory.  This caveat is voiced explicitly in the tool as well.  Finally, using theory in program planning is both a science and an art.  An online tool may share some of the science efficiently, but for fostering artful use of a theory, nothing can replace experience with its application over time, in a variety of situations.  Unfortunately, many program planners do not have access to experts with extensive experience in applying theory to program planning.  On balance, the tool represents an opportunity for planners with limited experience in the use of theory to employ it in a sound manner.        

Implications for research and/or practice:  Tentatively called the “theory wizard,” this tool will be freeware.  Students, scholars and communication program planners from around the world have expressed interest in the tool.  It is hoped that, through a crowd-sourcing procedure, the content of the tool will grow over time (e.g., to include less frequently used theories, especially those at higher levels of the ecological system).