Kok, G., Gottlieb, N. H., Peters, G.-J. Y., Mullen, P. D., Parcel, G. S., Ruiter, R. A. C., Fernández, M. E.,
Markham, C., & Bartholomew, L. K. (2015). A Taxonomy of Behavior Change Methods; an
Intervention Mapping Approach. Health Psychology Review. DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2015.1077155
Recent attempts to establish a cumulative science of behavior change have used taxonomies of
behavior change techniques to derive effectiveness of such techniques through meta-analysis of
intervention evaluations. However, next to effective behavior change methods, they can also contain
ineffective methods. Such taxonomies can be good for intervention coding, but less for intervention
development. This contribution presents an intervention development taxonomy. This is extracted
from the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol for the development, implementation and evaluation of
behavior change interventions. These taxonomies that focus on intervention development, next to
intervention coding should include: a match with determinates that they can change, they should
assure that these determinants predict the relevant behavior and the parameters for a model’s
effectiveness should be satisfied.
Origins, the dynamics of behavior change and definitions of the proposed taxonomy
IM describes the path from problem identification to problem-solving. There are six steps related to
the IM process:
1. Conduct a needs assessment
2. Create matrices or change objectives by combining behaviours with behavioural
determinants to identify which beliefs should be targeted by the intervention
3. Select theory-based intervention methods that match the determinants into which the
identified beliefs aggregate, and translate these into practical applications that are effective
4. Integrate the practical applications into an organized programme
5. Plan for adoption, implementation and sustainability by identifying programme users and
supporters and determining what their needs are and how to fulfil these
6. Generate an evaluation plan
Keywords IM: planning, research and theory
Determinants
It is necessary to understand why people engage in the behavior of interest. There are two levels for
such reasons:
- The lowest level: individual thoughts, emotions, automatic associations or elements of a
process.
- Aggregate level: similar and related thoughts, etc. exist aggregated in determinants.
Behavioural determinants are aggregates of beliefs, which are specific to behavior, population and
context. Personal determinants can be defined as generic modifiable psychological variables or
regulatory processes that are assumed, on the basis of empirical or theoretical evidence, to be causal
antecedents of behavior. The lower level elements of determinants make up determinants. Behavior
change methods try to change behavior by trying to change determinants. However, these can not
be targeted directly: you must target specific beliefs.
Theory-based methods for change
