Strategies for Change

Understand the risks

Compare risks

Get the overall picture

Process cumulative probabilities instead of single incident probabilities

Consider different factors

Process different expressions of risk

Think positively

Focus on success instead of failure

Be aware of your risks

Conduct an assessment of risk perception, e.g. personalisation, impact on others

Know the outcomes

Emphasise positive outcomes of alternative behaviours and reevaluate outcome expectancies

Focus on benefits

See advantages of the healthy behaviour and disadvantages of the risk behaviour

Get help

Mobilise social support; skills train on coping with emotional disadvantages of change

Decide

Focus on making the decision

Set the time frame

Incorporate personal time horizons

Prioritise

Focus on important factors

Try it

Change something about yourself and gain experience with that behaviour

Persuade yourself

Promote new positive outcome expectations and reinforcing existing ones

Build scenarios

Show models to overcome barriers effectively

Build a supportive environment

Restructure environments to contain important, obvious and socially supported cues for the new behaviour

Plan to tackle barriers

Identify barriers and plan solutions when facing these obstacles

Set goals

Set specific and incremental goals

Adapt your strategies

Restructure cues and social support; anticipate and circumvent obstacles; modify goals

Accept setbacks

Understand that setbacks are normal and can be overcome

Reward yourself

Feel good about progress; reiterate positive consequences

Identify difficult situations

Identify high risk situations; select solutions; practice solutions; cope with relapse

Bartholomew et al