CHANGING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
BEHAVIOUR – THE SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL
MODEL
Changing physical activity behavior:
Individual strategies (PP44 – 51) & Population strategies
(PP51 – 57)
Social-ecological models to explain physical activity
Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Environmental, Policy &
organizational factors (PP57 – 59)
Multiple levels of influence on physical activity (PP 60 –
65)
Tailoring PA promotion strategies (P66)
FAT BART SIMPSON
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http://videosift.com/video/Simpsons-Fat-BartIntro
Are you ready for the BIG question??
HOW CAN WE CHANGE SOMEONE’S
BEHAVIOUR TOWARD ACTIVITY?
INDIVIDUAL
STRATEGIES
- Print and Webbased media
- Counselling
- -Process of Change
PROMOTNG
PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
THROUGH…
- POPULATION
STRATEGIES
- Environmental
Change
- Policy
- Mass Media
SOCIAL ECOLOGICAL
MODELS OF PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY BEHAVIOUR
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION
1. Print-based and web based Media
2. Counselling
 Assessing motivational Readiness
 Matching process of change
 Identifying opportunities to be active
 Contracting
 Enlisting Social Support
 Tailoring
3. Process of Change
PRINT-BASED AND WEB BASED MEDIA
Print based media can be in
the form of booklets,
pamphlets or brochures
 Can be made available from
any public/community space,
healthcare providers, schools
and workplace settings
 An advantage of print based
media is that it can be readily
sent, does not require access to
the net (consider elderly and
financially disadvantaged)
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PRINT-BASED AND WEB BASED MEDIA
Web based media can be in the form of Twitter,
Facebook, Myspace, MSN, email and text
messaging
 Improved technology is allowing more people to
access advice that suits their level of physical
activity and motivational readiness
 However… they are often effective for people
visiting once or twice and they do not appeal to
people in the long term once the novelty has worn
off.
 May offer reminders and automated words of
encouragement (runkeeper, my fitness pal)

COUNSELLING
Widely provided by PT, GP, osteopath,
physiotherapist, PE teacher or psychologist
 Could occur face to face, on the phone, automated
telephone or internet
The strategies used are:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Assessing motivational Readiness
Matching process of change
Identifying opportunities to be active
Contracting
Enlisting Social Support
Tailoring
PROCESS OF CHANGE
Describes how people change
their PA behaviour
 Can be grouped in two
categories cognitive and
behavioural (see table 2.2,
p45)
 Complete Student Activity
(page 46)
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POPULATION-BASED APPROACHES TO
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
1.
2.
3.
Environmental Change
Policy
Mass Media
ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES
INTERVENTION
PROGRAMS THAT INVOLVE EITHER REMOVING IMPEDIMENTS TO ACTIVITY OR
INTRODUCING NEW RESOURCES, FACILITIES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
How does our school promote activity at an
individual and population based level?
How could it change it’s built environment?
 How could it change it’s information
environment?
 How could it encourage the Whittlesea council to
change it’s suburban environment?
 How it change it’s work environment (that is the
infrastructure for teachers to be active
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POLICY
DEFINED AS LAWS, REGULATIONS, FORMAL AND INFORMAL RUES AND
UNDERSTANDINGS THAT ARE ADOPTED ON A COLLECTIVE BASIS
Related to incentives
 Give aways, subsides,
target programs and
rewards regarding
PA behaviour
 Does the school
promote PA through
policy related to
incentives?
 Suggestions?
Related to resources
and infrastructure
 Codes, requirements,
rules, guidelines
 What policies exit in
the school to promote
or inhibit activity?
 Suggestions?
MASS MEDIA
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REACH GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS USING A MEDIUM
OTHER THAN PERSONAL CONTACT OR FACE TO FACE MEETINGS.
Examples include:
 television and radio,
 billboards, posters and
commercials
 Print media such as
newspapers and
magazines
 Web- based interactive
information
ROLE OF MASS MEDIA
Increase awareness of PA as a public health
concern
 Provide information about the health benefits
associated with regular PA
 Provide information about the non-health
benefits of being active
 Provide information about the consequence of
inactivity
 Increase interest in physical activity
participation and raising awareness of
community based programs
 Motivating individuals to take action towards
physical activity participation
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EXPLORATION
Review a variety of print based media. Identify
the roll each is playing in promoting PA
 Explore the largest mass media campaign
designed to promote physical activity- Go for you
life
 Explore the newest Australian governement PA
promoting program- Swap It
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THEORETICAL MODELS OF PA BEHAVIOUR
Determinants are factors that influence how
active a person is
 These factors are not influenced in isolation
 Theoretical models take into consideration
several of these factors in an attempt to better
understand physical activity behaviour
 Models are used to explain influences or
determinants, explain the relationship between
these factors and the conditions under which
relationships with PA do and do not occur
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SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL MODEL
The relationship between the multiple levels of influence and
physical activity and sedentary behaviour
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIALECOLOGICAL MODEL
Some models are interpersonal, some are
intrapersonal, some are psychosocial, however
they fail to consider an individual's or
population's environment.
 An ecological perspective suggests reciprocal
causation (the interaction between an individual
and the environment). In other words they are
influence by each other.
 The social ecological model does not only apply to
PA behaviour but smoking, drinking, etc.
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KEY POINTS TO REMEMBERTHE SOCIAL- ECOLOGICAL
MODEL
No single factor can lead to behavioural change
as behaviour is a complex process that involved
the interaction of a number of variables
 Social-ecological models of physical activity are
characterised by multiple levels of influence on
behaviour and an emphasis on the environmental
and policy influences.
 See table 2.7 (p. 58). Remember that social and
physical environments needs to be conceded
across numerous settings of ones life.
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EXPLORING THE SE MODEL
Page 59
 Discuss the 4 multiple levels of influence
 Define the social-ecological model
 Define each of the four levels, give at least 5
examples of factors in each.
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APPLYING THE MODEL
Written Report (p. 63)
 Discuss the SE framework template (p.64)
 Complete report on a strategy used by
government or non government organisations.
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TAILORING THE SE MODEL
Different populations require different
implementation strategies due different needs,
values and interests of specific populations.
 See table 2.8 (p. 67) for a detailed summary i=of
the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG)
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KEY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Why use the social-ecological model?
 Background to social-ecological model
 Components of the social-ecological model
 How can we apply the social-ecological model
 Critique physical activity strategies used by
government and non-government organisations
to target two subpopulation groups
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USING THE SE MODEL
ASK YOURSELF…
Who was the target group? (School children, adults elderly,
adolescents, etc.)
Was the intervention appropriate for this target group?
It is important to understand that strategies must be tailored to
the target group. Strategies used with children may not be
appropriate for adults.
What was the target setting? (School, home, community, work or
a combination)
Was active transport considered? Be aware strategies are
generally tailored to the particular target setting, for example
strategies designed for use in a school setting may not be
appropriate for a community or home setting.
USING THE SE MODEL…
What strategies were implemented?
Was there at least one strategy from each level of influence? (Individual,
Social, Physical environment & policy)
If not which levels were targeted? For a program to be considered as a
social ecological model at least one strategy from each level of influence
would need to have been implemented.
Were the strategies aimed at an individual-level or population level
or both?
Was there any change in physical activity over time?
The only way we can determine whether or not there has been an increase
in activity levels over time would be to collect pre-intervention data prior to
the program and post intervention data immediately after a program or well
into the program. Note there may not be any data to support whether the
intervention was effective.
FAQ
Can you apply a social ecological framework to critique any physical activity
program or initiative?
Yes even if a physical activity program has not be designed based upon a social ecological
model you can still use the model to critique a program.
So what if a program does not include a strategy at a certain level of influence?
If a program does not include strategies at one or several of the levels of influence, don’t panic
ask yourself which levels are not represented, and “so what”, would the program be more
effective if a strategy was implemented at this level of influence. Can you think of an example
of a strategy that could be implemented at this level?
Is the exam likely to use a real program and if so which programs should we be
revising?
Being able to critique something is a higher order level of thinking designed to really sort out
the A and A+ students from others. The exam could include anything from a made up case
study right through to a real world physical activity program such as Kids Go For Your Life,
Walking School Bus, 10,000 steps, Swap it, TravelSmart, Be Active or any other physical
activity program there are hundreds of possibilities. Of course very few of these programs are
based upon a social ecological approach. However all of these programs could be critiqued
using a social ecological approach. Think about the tips target group, target setting,
strategies, etc.
It is unlikely strategies will be categorized by level of influence already for students such as
“A social strategy implemented included encouraging parents to be active role models…”, it is
more likely the strategies may be described in the stem of the question and students need to
be able to identify levels of influence or describe relevant strategies that could be
implemented at a particular level of influence.