Part #4: Preventive and Health-Promoting Behaviours

Learning Activity

One way people often want to change their behaviours is to increase behaviours that will promote an active
achievement of health. However, there are often various barriers that impact people’s ability to make these positive
behaviour changes. For this learning activity, you will practice the skill of providing evidence-based recommendations to help
your clients positively change their health-related behaviours.

Instructions:
Imagine that you have a client that has tried to eat healthier but continues to be unsuccessful in this endeavor on
their own. They have now sought your help as a Health Psychologist.
 Describe three barriers that your client is experiencing that are making it challenging for them to maintain healthy eating
habits (refer to specific barriers discussed in module 4 video 2).
 Explain how each barrier is getting in the way of their healthy eating efforts.
 Describe, in your own words, one study discussed in module 4 video 2 that relates to one of the barriers your client is
experiencing. Explain how the study relates to the specific barrier.
 Use this study to justify a recommendation that you give to your client to help them overcome one of their barriers.
 Provide another recommendation with rationale to address the second barrier your client is experiencing.
 Lastly, propose a social engineering change (i.e., a change to modify the environment on a broad scale or a change to
legislation) that would address your client’s third barrier to healthy eating. Clearly explain how your proposed social
engineering change would reduce your client’s barrier to healthy eating.

Grading Rubric: 19 marks possible

Described barrier and clearly explained how it Described barrier but explanation Barrier and/or
Barriers to Healthy
interferes with healthy eating goals. Barrier is is vague or barrier is not from explanation is
Eating from module 4 video 2 = 2 module 4 video 2 = 1 absent = 0
Barrier #1
Barrier #2
Barrier #3

Study Explanation Great = 2 Ok = 1 Absent or study not from module 4 video 2 = 0

Study explanation is accurate and understandable to a lay person
Study explanation is in your own words
Clear explanation of how study relates to one of the client’s barriers

Recommendation is related to barrier. One Recommendation is related to

Recommendations/ recommendation is related to the study you barrier, vague rationale is provided Recommendation is not related
to barrier, and/or
Social Engineering described. Specific rationale is provided for for the recommendation, and/or recommendation and/or
Change the recommendation. Recommendation and recommendation and/or rationale
rationale are absent = 0
rationale make sense = 2 don’t make sense = 1
Recommendation #1
Recommendation #2
Social Engineering Change

Writing Yes = 1 No = 0
Writing is coherent and (nearly) free from errors