Intervention Mapping
Full course description
Intervention Mapping is a planning approach for developing behaviour change interventions. It is based on using theory and evidence as foundations for assessing and intervening in for example health problems. (Bartholomew Eldredge, Markham, Ruiter, Fernàndez, Kok, & Parcel, 2016). It is a rigorous approach that allows for the development of for example health education and health programs. Although most frequently applied in the fields of health and social psychology, intervention mapping has proven to be useful in many other settings in behavioural sciences as well that involve behaviour change. Therefore, the project is also relevant for students with an interest in for example politics, business and management, sustainable development, policymaking, etc. where behaviour change is required. The project will therefore allow for and encourage an interdisciplinary approach to chosen topics and problems to which the students want to apply Intervention Mapping.
Course objectives
Students will be introduced to the Intervention Mapping approach and its six steps which include the development of: 1) logic models of a problem, 2) program outcomes and objectives, and logic models of change, 3) program design, 4) program production, 5) program implementation plan, 6) evaluation plan.
Following the main course book (Bartholomew et al., 2016), students will train the following competencies:
- Choose and use a systematic approach to planning (health) promotion programs.
- Use behavior-oriented theories to understand (health) problems and to plan interventions.
- Use environment-oriented theories to understand (health) problems and to plan interventions.
- Develop a logic model of the factors that cause or influence the (health) problem that will be the focus of the intervention.
- Develop matrices of change objectives that specify what needs to change in behaviour and the environment to improve health and quality of life.
- Generate program ideas, including change methods and practical applications.
- Use information from steps 1-3 of Intervention Mapping to produce program materials.
- Develop an implementation plan to enable adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the (health) promotion program.
- Develop an evaluation plan based on the previous steps of Intervention Mapping.
- Make decisions about whether and how to adapt an evidence-based intervention.
Prerequisites
Students need some background in behavioural sciences, logic and argumentation, and methodology. The following modules are considered highly relevant in preparation of the project. At least two modules from the following list are required: COR1005/SCI1001/SCI2043 Theory Construction and Modelling Techniques; SCI2022 Genetics and Evolution; SCI2044 Logic; SCI3046 Cognitive Neuroscience; SKI2049 Argumentation I; SKI3002 Argumentation II; Ethnography and Qualitative Interviewing (the skills trainings SKI2085, SKI3052 and the project PRO3009 are considered as one unit); SSC1005 Introduction to Psychology; SSC1029 Sociological Perspectives; SSC2004 Clinical Psychology; SSC2006 Developmental Psychology; SSC2008 Organization Theory; SSC2018 Brand Management and how to Communicate about Brands; SSC2019 Social Psychology; SSC2025 Memory; SSC2050 Psychology and Law; SSC2053 Public Health Policymaking; SSC2061 Statistics I; SSC2062 Foundations of Cognitive Psychology; SSC2063 The Psychology of Individual Differences; SSC2065 Theories of Social Order; SSC3018 Statistics II; SSC3019 Human Reasoning and Complex Cognition; SSC3032 Atrocity Triangle: A course on the Causes of Gross Human Rights Violations and their Aftermath; SSC3033 Economic Psychology; Understanding and Tackling Violence (the course SSC3061 and the project PRO3020 are considered as one unit).
Note that this is a project of 7.5 ECTS and is considered the equivalent of one regular 3000 level skills training and one regular 3000 level project. It runs over one regular course period and one project period.