No single strategy is right for all behaviors and all people. An individual must personalize intervention strategies that fit his or her behavioral profile and goals. Common types of strategies include use of behavioral contracts, stimulus control, positive and negative reinforcer’s, and behavior substitution.A behavioral contract is a written agreement between people in a lifestyle-change program. Although they vary in style and form, most contracts include a statement of long-range and intermediate health goals, target dates for completion of each goal, rewards and punishments, intervention strategies, and signatures of witnesses. They are not legal documents, so simplicity and creativity are encouraged. After you have drafted a contract, work out a method of graphing your progress play the contract and graph where you and others can see them. This way, they become tangible affirmations of your commitment to the agreement.
Stimulus control is a behavioral technique that involves elimination or manipulation of the circumstances associated with the undesirable behavior. One way to change a behavior is to eliminate the stimulus causing it. A smoker cannot smoke if there are no cigarettes, an ice cream binge is not possible if a trip to the ice cream parlor is refused, and loud music cannot interfere with studying if the radio is put away.
Another way to alter a behavior is to modify the stimulus. This is sometimes referred to as behavior shaping. Instead of eliminating the stimulus, the situation is modified to prompt, or “shape,” desirable behavior. For example, a student who finds it virtually impossible to study in a dormitory may try to study in a different environment, such as the library. Another student may try to improve the quality of studying by setting a study schedule that starts with a 3D-minute session and increases over time to several hours a day. When doing so, the student might record the amount of time spent studying. When studying occurs on 3 consecutive days, study time is increased in increments of 30 minutes.
The use of positive and negative reinforcer’s is fundamental to stimulus-control strategies. Positive reinforcement occurs when behavior is strengthened by way of a pleasant consequence. Physical activity, for example, may result in a positive outcome if it leads to a sense of enjoyment or accomplishment. Negative reinforcement occurs when behavior is strengthened by the avoidance of something unpleasant. Eating a low-fat diet, for example, may reinforce good nutritional practices and help maintain body weight by the avoidance of calorie dense foods. Sometimes positive and negative reinforcement occur simultaneously. By walking, for example, we may realize a positive outcome (feeling relaxed) and may at the same time reduce a negative state (excessive body weight). Although the use of positive and/or negative reinforcer’s is strictly an individual matter, most lifestyle-change programs emphasize the positive. Many people like to treat them selves to rewards, which vary according to their financial resources. Rewards can include special treats, the purchase of a desired item, and participation in an enjoyable activity. You may find it helpful to think of a list of rewards for yourself. The actual achievement of a stated lifestyle goal is the strongest positive reinforcement. It provides the best incentive for continuing with a lifestyle-change program.
For many people, penalties or punisher’s serve as powerful motivators for change. For example, a student who cuts classes and is chronically late for the rest can write a contract that involves depositing $200 with a counselor. The contract may stipulate that the counselor returns $20 each week the student does not miss class or go to class late. For each week the contract is not fulfilled, the student must donate $20 to a charitable organization.
Another good stimulus-control strategy is formation of a support group, which may include a room mate, family, friends, classmates, or someone who can identify with the lifestyle goal. Such a group not only provides a source of encouragement but also holds you accountable for your goals. Involving someone else in the process makes it easier to stick to your plan. Some people enjoy exercise more if they do it with a partner. Others benefit from the discipline of having another person available for reinforcement.
When you join a support group, you are publicly affirming what you plan to do and how and when you plan to do it. The good opinions of others are powerful motivators. In addition, friendships often form in a support group that last a lifetime. Support groups can be the key to success for visible health change programs.
Behavior substitution, in which a new behavior is substituted for the undesirable one, is the most common technique used by people trying to change some aspect of their lifestyle without professional help. When this technique is applied, the goal is to think of a behavior that is incompatible with the one being altered. Examples include chewing gum to suppress the urge to smoke, substituting diet colas for sweetened colas, and playing a game of racket ball instead of watching television.
A person should be careful that the behavior being substituted does not create a new problem while solving the old one. For example, some smokers initiate their cigarette habit as a way to control eating. In other words, they trade compulsive eating for compulsive smoking. The result is a new health habit that is more detrimental. Exercising good judgment and observing sound principles of healthy living are important when choosing substitute behaviors.
Evaluate progress
Constant monitoring is the only way to determine whether a lifestyle-change plan is working. This means assessing each goal according to the conditions and timetable specified at the beginning of the program. Consistent monitoring makes it possible to get immediate feedback about progress. This feedback can then provide a basis for continuing with the program as it is or for adjusting it. However, you should avoid the temptation to over monitor progress. Plan evaluation checkpoints at time intervals that are short enough to provide sufficient time to achieve goals but not so short that they promote preoccupation with target behaviors. Depending on the nature and complexity of the problem behavior, the timing of evaluations can range from weekly for a weight-loss program to daily for a plan to improve study habits.
Regardless of the results, maintaining the proper perspective about success and failure is important. Many people have the attitude that they either completely succeed or completely fail. This way of thinking can be devastating to a person’s motivation. When goals are not fully realized, the proper attitude is to view the shortcoming as justification for making adjustments in the program. The goals may have been too general or unrealistic. The intervention strategies may have lacked relevance. Reshaping goals, setting a more realistic schedule, changing the rewards and penalties, or formulating different intervention strategies may be necessary.
Above all, you should maintain a healthy perspective about yourself and not burden yourself with guilt if you fall short of your goals. What seems important now becomes insignificant when viewed within a broader context. You may consider how significant this event is likely to be to you 2 years from now. Doing this helps establish the right perspective on your progress. More important are the answers to the following questions,”What did you learn from this experience? What did you learn about yourself? What can you do differently?” Lifestyle change is a lifelong project that requires insight, skillful planning, and plenty of practice.
Tags:behavioral profile, healthy living, life style change strategies, lifestyle change, reshaping goals, weight loss program Wellness and Fitness