Table 1.
Programme component | Behaviour change technique | COM-B construct targeted | Content |
Booklet (both groups) | Pros and cons | Reflective motivation | A page asking whether exercise is good for you and programme users are given two blank columns to fill out with possible advantages and disadvantages of becoming more active. They are then asked how confident they feel about becoming active on a scale of 1–10. |
Problem solving | Psychological capability*; reflective motivation | Programme users are asked to think about their current situation and to list the things that might be currently stopping them from being active and how they might overcome them. | |
Goal setting | Reflective motivation | Programme users are given the opportunity to set short-term (2 weeks), medium-term (3 months) or long-term (12 months) goals, and then rate how confident they are of achieving each one from 1 to 10. | |
Action planning | Psychological capability; reflective motivation | A page allowing programme users to complete sections referring to their plans to becoming more active in terms of what they are going to do, where they are going to do it, when they are going to do it and who they are going to do it with. A second page allows them to explore their time management by mapping out the week in terms of morning, afternoons and evenings. | |
Relapse prevention | Psychological capability*; reflective motivation | In contrast to the problem-solving page which focuses on current problems, this page explains how even the most habitual exercisers can struggle at times. Programme users are asked to think about situations in the future that may affect their progress and then about options to avoid or cope with these situations. | |
Self-monitoring of behaviour; information about emotional consequences |
Psychological capability; reflective motivation |
Programme users are given an exercise and activity diary to track their progress and highlight their engagement. A table contains columns for the date, activities completed, time in minutes, enjoyment level (from 1 (low) to 10 (high)) and how they felt after completing the activity. The table contains several rows so programme users can track this over time. | |
Information about health consequences: information on emotional consequences | Psychological capability; reflective motivation | A page summarises the health and emotional benefits of being active in a positively framed manner. For example, did you know that being active can ‘help you manage high blood pressure’ and ‘make you feel good and improve your mental health’? | |
Instruction on how to perform the behaviour | Psychological capability* | Programme users are given the national exercise guidelines for moderate and vigorous activity. Additionally information is given for examples of moderate and vigorous activity, how to break up long periods of sitting, how to improve balance to reduce the chance of falls and an example of how these activities can fit into everyday life. | |
Self-reward | Automatic motivation | Programme users are told the importance of rewarding themselves for the effort they make towards their activity goals. Examples are then given of how to reward themselves in ways that are healthy and free. For example, ‘listen to music’ or ‘have a nice relaxing bath’. Self-reward is also discussed briefly during the goal-setting page when thinking about what success looks like. | |
Consultation (both groups) | Social support unspecified; social support emotional | Social opportunity; automatic motivation | Programme users are given an initial 45 min consultation in person one-to-one where motivational interviewing and health coaching are used to structure the session to fit participant needs, move them towards becoming more active, signposting activities and discussing goals and plans, while providing emotional support. This is then repeated in subsequent consultation meetings at 3, 6 and 12 months. The additional consultations will vary between 15 and 30 min and are optional based on participant needs. |
Credible source | Social opportunity*; automatic motivation | Expert Get Active Specialists who are trained in motivational interviewing and behaviour change, with specialist knowledge of obesity, diabetes, exercise referral and mental health, will discuss becoming more active in a favourable light with programme users. | |
Verbal persuasion about capability | Reflective motivation | Programme users will set goals and the Get Active Specialists will encourage participants’ belief in their ability to fulfil those goals and make long-term change. | |
Focus of past success | Reflective motivation | During the consultation programme users will set physical activity goals and the Get Active Specialists will discuss previous success or progress. | |
Exercise sessions (both groups) | Instruction on how to perform the behaviour; demonstration of the behaviour; behavioural practice/rehearsal | Social opportunity; psychological capability | Programme users can choose to attend 12 weeks of exercise classes either referred to them (standard delivery) or organised as bespoke sessions (enhanced delivery) by the Get Active Specialists. These will involve detailed instruction on how to perform a range of exercises (eg, yoga, pilates, light to moderate-intensity circuit training). During these classes programme users will be given demonstrations of the correct way to perform the activities and provided with ample opportunity to practise and gain confidence in performing the exercises. |
Graded tasks | Physical capability | During the exercise classes, exercise specialists will encourage programme users to start slowly and build up intensity throughout the 12 weeks. | |
Booster call (both groups) | Social support unspecified; verbal persuasion about capability; prompts and cues | Social opportunity; reflective motivation; physical opportunity | Programme users receive a phone call at 2 weeks, which is approximately 5 min in duration, prompting them to keep working towards their physical activity goals and stating that they are capable of achieving them. |
Test messages (both groups) | Social support unspecified; verbal persuasion about capability; prompts and cues | Social opportunity; reflective motivation; physical opportunity | A text message is sent to programme users at 2, 6 and 12 weeks prompting them to keep working towards their physical activity goals and stating that they are capable of achieving them. |
Exercise buddies and tailored exercise classes (enhanced delivery only) | Social support practical and emotional | Social opportunity; automatic motivation | For programme users in the enhanced delivery areas, Get Active Specialists will also run and/or organise a range of exercise classes based on the preferences of programme users, where they may also be paired with an exercise buddy to help them attend the exercise classes and provide emotional support if needed. |
*Denotes that a BCT was not explicitly linked to a COM-B construct in the consensus study from Cane et al,17 but the authors believe this BCT will impact this area.
BCT, behaviour change technique; COM-B, capability, opportunity and motivation.