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Evaluating Theories of Health Behavior Change: A Hierarchy of Criteria Applied to the Transtheoretical Model
Author(s) -
Prochaska James O.,
Wright Julie A.,
Velicer Wayne F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
applied psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1464-0597
pISSN - 0269-994X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00345.x
Subject(s) - transtheoretical model , hierarchy , clarity , perspective (graphical) , consistency (knowledge bases) , pooling , predictive power , management science , psychology , explanatory power , analytic hierarchy process , behavior change , computer science , epistemology , social psychology , operations research , artificial intelligence , mathematics , economics , philosophy , biochemistry , chemistry , market economy
The most common criteria recommended by philosophers of science for evaluating theories were organised within a hierarchy ranging from the least to the most risky tests for theories of health behavior change. The hierarchy progressed across: (1) Clarity; (2) Consistency; (3) Parsimony; (4) Testable; (5) Predictive Power; (6) Explanatory Power; (7) Productivity; (8) Generalisable; (9) Integration; (10) Utility; (11) Efficacy; and (12) Impact. The hierarchy was applied to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) as an example of a health behavior change theory. The application was from the perspective of critics and advocates of TTM. Examples of basic and applied research challenging and supporting TTM across the hierarchy of criteria are presented. The goal is to provide a model for comparing alternative theories and to evaluate progress across the hierarchy within a particular theory. As theories meet criteria at each step in the hierarchy, the research and applications they generate can have increasing impacts on the science and practice of health behavior change.