Behaviour change is crucial to the effectiveness of all health and safety interventions. Behavioural approaches can provide the leverage for achieving more effective and sustainable changes.

The Stage of Change approach

The stage of change approach (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982) – a theory of behaviour change from the field of psychology – predicts that health-related behaviour change involves movement through distinct stages, which determine the likely effectiveness of health interventions.

The stages are:

• Pre-contemplation (not considering changing)
• Contemplation (thinking about changing)
• Preparation (making plans to change)
• Action (in the process of changing)
• Maintenance (working to prevent relapse and consolidate gains)

From theory to practice

COPE’s Senior Research Scientist and Occupational Psychologist, Dr Zara Whysall, along with Professors Roger and Cheryl Haslam at Loughborough University, has developed the Stage of Change approach to improve health in the workplace setting (Whysall et al., 2007).

Interventions that are tailored according to individuals’ stage are likely to be much more effective than “one-size-fits-all” programmes, by increasing the likelihood that changes will be implemented, adopted and maintained (Whysall et al., 2006).

Whysall, Z.J., Haslam, C., & Haslam, R.A. (2007). Developing the Stage of Change Approach for the reduction of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders.
Whysall, Z.J., Haslam, C., & Haslam, R.A. (2006). A stage of change approach to reducing occupational ill health
Whysall, Z.J., Haslam, C., & Haslam, R.A. (2005). A staged approach to reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace,
Health & Safety Executive, RR379 HSE Books, Sudbury. p1-77