Table 4.
Frequency of behavior change techniques (BCTs)
| Behavior change technique code | Total number of studies N=38 n (%) | Study Design | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCT N=30 n (%) | Pre-Post N=8 n (%) | ||
| 4.1 Instruction on how to perform the behavior | 34 (89) | 27 (90) | 7 (88) |
| 3.1 Social support (unspecified) | 32 (84) | 26 (87) | 6 (75) |
| 9.1 Credible source | 32 (84) | 25 (83) | 7 (88) |
| 6.1 Demonstration of the behavior | 31 (82) | 26 (87) | 5 (63) |
| 2.3 Self-monitoring of behavior | 29 (76) | 23 (77) | 6 (75) |
| 8.7 Graded tasks | 28 (74) | 23 (77) | 5 (63) |
| 1.1 Goal setting (behavior) | 28 (74) | 24 (80) | 4 (50) |
| 1.2 Problem solving | 25 (66) | 19 (63) | 6 (75) |
| 1.3 Goal setting (outcome) | 22 (58) | 17 (57) | 5 (63) |
| 12.5 Adding objects to the environment | 22 (58) | 18 (60) | 4 (50) |
| 2.2 Feedback on behavior | 18 (47) | 13 (43) | 5 (63) |
| 1.5 Review behavior goal(s) | 18 (47) | 16 (53) | 2 (25) |
| 5.3 Information about social and environmental consequences | 17 (45) | 13 (43) | 4 (50) |
| 8.1 Behavioral practice/rehearsal | 17 (45) | 15 (50) | 2 (25) |
| 5.1 Information about health consequences | 15 (39) | 11 (37) | 4 (50) |
| 1.4 Action planning | 14 (37) | 14 (47) | 0 (0) |
| 2.1 Monitoring of behavior by others without feedback | 13 (34) | 13 (43) | 0 (0) |
| 3.2 Social support (practical) | 12 (32) | 10 (33) | 2 (25) |
| 15.1 Verbal persuasion about capability | 12 (32) | 11 (37) | 1 (13) |
| 8.6 Generalization of target behavior | 12 (32) | 11 (37) | 1 (13) |
| 6.2 Social comparison | 11 (29) | 8 (27) | 3 (38) |
| 1.7 Review outcome goal(s) | 9 (24) | 7 (23) | 2 (25) |
| 7.1 Prompts/cues | 8 (21) | 7 (23) | 1 (13) |
| 16.3 Vicarious consequences | 8 (21) | 5 (17) | 3 (38) |
| 2.4 Self-monitoring of outcome(s) of behavior | 6 (16) | 6 (20) | 0 (0) |
| 2.5 Monitoring of outcome(s) of behavior without feedback | 6 (16) | 6 (20) | 0 (0) |
| 6.3 Information about others’ approval | 5 (13) | 3 (10) | 2 (25) |
| 14.5 Rewarding completion | 5 (13) | 4 (13) | 1 (13) |
| 15.3 Focus on past success | 5 (13) | 5 (17) | 0 (0) |
| 1.9 Commitment | 5 (13) | 4 (13) | 1 (13) |
| 4.2 Information about antecedents | 4 (11) | 4 (13) | 0 (0) |
| 9.2 Pros and cons | 4 (11) | 3 (10) | 1 (13) |
| 10.3 Non-specific reward | 4 (11) | 2 (7) | 2 (25) |
| 2.6 Biofeedback | 4 (11) | 4 (13) | 0 (0) |
| 3.3 Social support (emotional) | 4 (11) | 3 (10) | 1 (13) |
| 5.4 Monitoring of emotional consequences | 4 (11) | 4 (13) | 0 (0) |
| 5.6 Information about emotional consequences | 4 (11) | 4 (13) | 0 (0) |
| 1.6 Discrepancy between current behavior and goal | 3 (8) | 3 (10) | 0 (0) |
| 10.4 Social reward | 3 (8) | 3 (10) | 0 (0) |
| 11.2 Reduce negative emotions | 3 (8) | 3 (10) | 0 (0) |
| 1.8 Behavioral contract | 2 (5) | 2 (7) | 0 (0) |
| 10.1 Material incentive (behavior) | 2 (5) | 2 (7) | 0 (0) |
| 5.2 Salience of consequences | 2 (5) | 2 (7) | 0 (0) |
| 10.10 Reward (outcome) | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 10.7 Self-incentive | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 10.9 Self-reward | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 12.1 Restructuring the physical environment | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 12.2 Restructuring the social environment | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 13.2 Framing/reframing | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 4.4 Behavioral experiments | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 8.2 Behavioral substitution | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 8.3 Habit formation | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |
| 9.3 Comparative imagining of future outcomes | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |