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Behaviour Change Theories and Techniques for Promoting Physical Activity Among Older People

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Abstract

Health psychology theories help us understand human health behaviour (e.g. physical activity) and provide frameworks for developing interventions (e.g. to increase physical activity levels). Of the many theories developed, the ones most commonly used in the context of behaviour change have been identified as: the Transtheoretical Model, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Social Cognitive Theory, the Information-Motivation-Behavioural-Skills Model, the Health Belief Model, Self-Determination Theory, the Health Action Process Approach and Social Learning Theory. This chapter outlines each of these theories and considers their application and usefulness in the context of promoting physical activity in older adults. Older adults remain an underrepresented group in research studies making it difficult to establish which techniques should be used with this group.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Medicine, Perdana University, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Karen Morgan

  2. Division of Population Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

    Karen Morgan

  3. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Maw Pin Tan

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  1. Karen Morgan
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  2. Maw Pin Tan
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom

    Samuel R. Nyman

  2. Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Anna Barker

  3. Department of Physiotherapy, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia

    Terry Haines

  4. School of Health Sciences, City, University of London, London, United Kingdom

    Khim Horton

  5. Centre for Innovative Ageing, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom

    Charles Musselwhite

  6. Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Geeske Peeters

  7. College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom

    Christina R. Victor

  8. Institute of Psychogerontology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Germany

    Julia Katharina Wolff

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Morgan, K., Tan, M.P. (2018). Behaviour Change Theories and Techniques for Promoting Physical Activity Among Older People. In: Nyman, S., et al. The Palgrave Handbook of Ageing and Physical Activity Promotion. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71291-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71291-8_11

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