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Assessment 2: Reflection Week 2
To answer each question think about the area of interest you hope to pursue
after completion of your degree. Please note this field of interest at the top of the
response sheet.
Area of interest (podiatry):
Week 2, Due Sunday 9th December before 11.55pm:
Self-efficacy has been identified as an important determinant of health behaviour,
future health behaviour and health behaviour change. Accordingly, give at least
one example where self-efficacy can hinder behaviour change. What are some
ways that you can help strengthen self-efficacy?
Self-efficacy is a measurement of an individuals belief that they are able to
engage in a specific behaviour in order to obtain a certain outcome (Ogden,
2012). It is an important construct in many health models as a predictor of
health behaviour and health behaviour change.
In the Protection Motivation Theory, self-efficacy is inversely proportional to
response costs, determining a persons coping appraisal (Tesson et al., 2016).
This formula helps to determine the adaption response or maladaptive coping
response. Self-efficacy is also a vital part in the Health Action Process Approach
(HAPA). In the volition phase where goal intention is formed, it determines the
size of the goal to be set. For example, if I am seeing a client with osteoarthritis of
the knee and a high BMI, I know that weight loss can significantly improve
function and decrease pain. I could ask them on a scale of 1-10 how likely are
they to start exercising. Thus enabling me to gauge their self-efficacy. If it is low,
it would be unlikely that they would start to initiate behaviour change by
themselves, hindering behaviour change.
If someone identifies as having low self efficacy it is important to start with small
realistic goals before tackling larger and potentially more challenging goals.
Health outcomes can be used to measure pre and post treatment scores. This can
help to bolster self-efficacy if there is a quantitative improvement in health due
to their actions. Therefore setting achievable goals with the patient, which are
proportional to their self-efficacy, is paramount. As is, determining the stage the
patient is at in order to work with them. For example, it is of no use to start an
action plan if the patient is in denial that there is a problem. Cognitive and
motivational imagery has also been found to have a relationship with self
efficacy in rehabilitation program adherence (Welch et al., 2012).
Self-efficacy can hinder or help to initiate behaviour change. There are many
ways to strengthen a patients self-efficacy leading to better health outcomes.
References
Ogden, J. (2012). Health psychology (5th ed.). Maidenhead: Open University
Press.
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Tesson, S., Richards, I., Porter, D., Phillips, K. A., Rankin, N., Musiello, T., ... &
Butow, P. (2016). Women’s preferences for contralateral prophylactic
mastectomy: An investigation using protection motivation theory. Patient
education and counseling, 99(5), 814-822.
Wesch, N., Hall, C., Prapavessis, H., Maddison, R., Bassett, S., Foley, L., ... & Forwell,
L. (2012). Self‐efficacy, imagery use, and adherence during injury
rehabilitation. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports,
22(5), 695-703.