Social and Behavioral Theories
1. Learning Objectives
After reviewing this chapter, readers should be able to:
• Define what theory is and identify two key types of social and behavioral science theory
that are relevant to public health interventions.
• Describe the key constructs of four theories that are often used in public health
interventions: the Health Belief Model, The Transtheoretical Model and stages of change,
Social Cognitive Theory, and the Social Ecological Model.
• Understand the nature of evidence about the relative effectiveness of theory-based
interventions.
• Identify the most important considerations in choosing the right theory to address a
health behavior problem in a particular population and context
