ArticleBMC public health2021
Are we speaking the same language? Call for action to improve theory application and reporting in behaviour change research.
Article in BMC public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A Socio-Cognitive Review of Healthy Eating Programs in Australian Indigenous Communities.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Evaluating the Application of the RE-AIM Planning and Evaluation Framework: An Updated Systematic Review and Exploration of Pragmatic Application.Frontiers in public health · 2021Pooled it
- Effectiveness and Implementation of Adapted Physical Activity Delivery Strategies for Older Adults Living With HIV in Ivory Coast: Protocol for a Type 2 Hybrid Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Digital Lifestyle Interventions to Support Healthy Gestational Weight Gain: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Preparing for Practice: An Exploration of Health and Social Care Professionals' Perceptions of Behaviour Change Education.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Content Development for a Multilevel Intervention to Operationalize Behavior Change Theory and Improve Parenting Behaviors for Physical Activity: Descriptive Study.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025Article
- Social Influence in Australian University Institutional Eating: A Qualitative Content Analysis.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025Article
- Applications of Behavioral Change Theories and Models in Health Promotion Interventions: A Rapid Review.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
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- Physical Activity Interventions Framed by the Health Action Process Approach for Adults with Long-Term Conditions: A Scoping Review.International journal of behavioral medicine · 2024Article
- Core Principles and Practices for the Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Social and Behavior Change for Nutrition in Low- and Middle-Income Contexts with Special Applications for Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture.Current developments in nutrition · 2024Review
- Planning Individual and Population-Based Interventions in Global Health: Applying the DEA-A Framework to Promote Behavioral, Emotional, and/or Cognitive Change among Stakeholders.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Article
- A pathway to personal, population and planetary health for dietitians and nutrition professionals.Public health challenges · 2023Article
- A working taxonomy for describing the sensory differences of autism.Molecular autism · 2023Review
- Developing a Suite of Resources to Improve Patient Adherence to Compression Stockings: Application of Behavior Change Theory.Patient preference and adherence · 2023Article
- Extending the Lifetime of Clothing through Repair and Repurpose: An Investigation of Barriers and Enablers in UK Citizens.Sustainability · 2022Article
- Assessing Open Science practices in physical activity behaviour change intervention evaluations.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2022Article
- Can Social Cognitive Theory Influence Breakfast Frequency in an Institutional Context: A Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Inconsistencies are evident in definitions and interpretations of theory, application of theory, and reporting of theory use within the behaviour change field impeding cumulative knowledge advancement. Standardised frameworks and methods are needed to support the definition, application, and reporting of theory, and to assist researchers in understanding how theory should be applied to build cumulative knowledge over time. Progress is being made with the development of ontologies, taxonomies, methods for mapping interventions, and coding schemes; however, consolidation is needed to improve levels and quality of theory use, and to facilitate the translation of theory-driven research in practice. This paper discusses the importance of rigorous theory application and reporting in health-related behaviour change research and outlines the need for a standardised framework that supports both researchers and practitioners in designing, implementing, and evaluating theory-driven interventions in a concrete and consistent manner. To this end, several recommendations are provided to facilitate the development of a standardised framework that supports theory application and reporting in the behaviour change field. Concrete and consistent theory application and reporting will permit critical appraisal within and across studies, thereby advancing cumulative knowledge of behaviour change over time.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.