The Transtheoretical Model and Motivational Interviewing - Assignment Example

? M5 and M6 Discussions M5 and M6 Discussions The Transtheoretical Model and Motivational Interviewing as They Relate to Advising a Patient to Stop Smoking The Transtheoretical Model serves as a guide to the application of motivational interviewing with the aim of empowering the patient to change health related behaviours such as smoking cessation. Helping a patient to stop smoking, it is crucial to establish the patient’s stage in the change cycle outlined under the Transtheoretical model. A patient can either be in the pre-contemplation stage where they lack an awareness about the need to stop smoking, the contemplation stage where the patient is trying to weigh the pros and cons of smoking, the preparation stage characterized by significant commitment to change, the action phase where behavior changes take place or the maintenance stage, representing several months after action (Astroth, Cross-Poline, Stach, Tilliss & Annan, 2002). By identifying the exact stage, it is possible to apply motivational interviewing when the patient is helped to explore and resolve uncertainties about the behaviour change. Motivational interviewing requires understanding the patient by exploring his or her perspectives without judgment, increasing the patient’s self- awareness and acknowledging positive attributes about the client, assisting the patient to identify his/her current status and to come up with future goals about the smoking habit, and, lastly, exploration of possible barriers in the journey towards stopping the smoking behaviour (National Cancer Institute, 1995). As such, the Transtheoretical model appears to underpin motivational interviewing because its principles are informed by the different stages of behavior change identified by the model. The patient’s stage of change in the processing of stopping the smoking habit provides the starting point in determining motivational principle applicable to the patient’s situation and the best approach in assisting the patient overcome the smoking habit. M5 Article Critique Paper Siero, F. W., Van Diem, M. T., Voorrips, R., & Willemsen, M. C. (2004). Periconceptional smoking: An exploratory study of determinants of change in smoking behavior among women in the fertile age range. Health Education Research, 19(4), 418-429. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg048 In this study, Siero et al. (2004), explore various determinants of change in the smoking behaviour among women in the fertile age range through an exploratory study. The study is driven by epidemiological studies which have come up with interesting findings that periconceptional smoking and smoking during the early stages of pregnancy can actually result into congenital abnormalities. Such findings triggers the need to establish ways of discouraging women from smoking before pregnancy, a move that requires proper understanding of the motivation and factors leading to smoking during this critical stage in the women’s life. The study underpins socio-cognitive behavioral changes and emphasizes the need for self-awareness of the negative health effects of a given behaviour as well as the identification of social and economic factors making women engage in smoking during this stage. The study involved a sample of 931 women aged between 15 and 45 years who responded to a questionnaire designed to elicit important information about the smoking behaviour in the selected population (Siero et al., 2004). The study results indicated that majority of women who responded had a negative attitude towards smoking and the perception of a high risk for congenital anomalies among smokers. From the socio-cognitive perspective, participants did not quite well understand the relationship between beliefs, attitudes, and readiness to change the smoking problem. Shockingly, the study established that women involved in the smoking habit were not positive about their ability to quit smoking. From the study findings the researchers have provided important recommendations including the need for future health promotion efforts to focus on creating awareness about the link between smoking among women prior to pregnancy and congenital abnormalities. In addition, a significant emphasis of such efforts should be placed on integrating beliefs, attitudes, and the stage of readiness in behaviour change to fight smoking among women (Siero et al., 2004). The implementation of the evidence based recommendations presents an opportunity to reduce the incidence of smoking among women in the fertile range in the community as well as congenital abnormalities attributable to smoking before and during the early stages of pregnancy. Demystifying false beliefs about smoking before and during pregnancy in some communities would play a critical role in preventing smoking among women and reduce cases of congenital abnormalities. This study/article indeed adds value to the volume of dental literature related to behavioural change and dentistry as it demonstrates the application of the socio-cognitive theory in health-related behaviour changes. The study findings reveal that the attitude, awareness about the negative effects of a given behaviour and readiness to change are crucial for any health behaviour change promotion effort. This is of great relevance to dentistry which focuses on the preventive care through the promotion of behavioral change initiatives. The study provides the research based evidence of the importance of the socio-cognitive theory as applied to many dental health promotion programmes. In conclusion, the article/ study provides important insights relevant to the dental health promotion interventions as one of the major areas in dentistry. The study can be used as a reference point in dental health promotion programmes involving the behavioural change as the main intervention such as the need to follow proper oral hygiene standards. M6 Ecological Discussion In explaining how stress is related to health, Professor Taylor asserts that stress like other health conditions is influenced by several factors which should be considered in the process of addressing such problems. Taylor cites the role of the physical environment. Social and biological factors influence the development of stress. Taylor’s video implies that when designing a caries prevention program for a low-income community one must evaluate the physical environment in which the community lives to identify factors that probably contribute to the development of caries including mineral composition of their drinking water (Taylor, 2011). Other factors that should be considered include their socio-economic status in terms of the capacity to afford toothpastes, beliefs surrounding their oral health, and the genetic predisposition to caries. In order to prevent caries among women and children, it is important to evaluate the level of awareness of the factors and behaviour contributing to the development of caries. Based on an ecological multi-level approach, some of the appropriate interventions of an education program are targeted at the mothers to educate them about the importance of preventing caries and contributing factors, providing fluoridated toothpaste for those families who cannot afford it, and demystification of misinformed beliefs about dental caries (Gibney, Margetts, Kearney & Arab, 2013). Empowering mothers with knowledge and skills as well as necessary resources provides an effective help for mothers and their children to achieve better oral health outcomes. However, it is important to take into consideration the trade-off between individual choices and an environmental control when designing the suggested intervention programs. Therefore, the design of programs to address caries among mothers and children in the target community must involve a significant research to identify differences of the issues and address such differences in order to achieve successful interventions. M6 Individual Discussion In my career as a dentist, I anticipate to make the use of the social cognitive theory of behaviour change in initiating and implementing dental health promotion programs. This is because my focus is to provide sustainable solutions to dental problems through successful behavioural change. The social cognitive theory is essential because it examines the determinants of behaviour to provide clear understanding of the interaction between an individual, behaviour, and environmental factors (Ramseier & Suvan, 2011). It is through the identification of determinants of dental related health behaviour such as smoking that I will be able to offer an effective solution to dental problems faced by the society. In addition, I intend to apply social cognitive theory through education programs to improve understanding of negative effects of behaviour that undermine oral and dental health. The theory likely to be least applied is the theory of planned behaviour. This is because there are few control beliefs, person’s beliefs about factors which make it easy or difficult to perform a certain behaviour that affects their dental health. Unlike the social cognitive theory which focuses on identifying and addressing determinants of behaviour, the theory of planned behavior is concerned with the perceived power as a key determinant to an individual’s involvement in a certain behaviour (Ramseier & Suvan, 2011). The theory asserts that indulgence in a given behaviour is significantly influenced by the amount of power perceived by an individual over performing the behaviour. This theory will be least applicable in my career since this power is influenced by other factors that should be addressed first in order to realize effective behaviour change. References Astroth, D. B., Cross-Poline, G. N., Stach, D. J., Tilliss, T. S., & Annan, S. D. (2002). The transtheoretical model: An approach to behavior change. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 76(4), 286-295. Gibney, M., Margetts, B., Kearney, J & Arab, L. (2013). Public health nutrition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. National Cancer Institute (US). (1995). Theory at a Glance: A Guide for Health Promotion Practice. New York, NY: Purdue University. Ramseier, C., & Suvan, J. (2011). Health behavior change in the dental practice. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Siero, F. W., Van Diem, M. T., Voorrips, R., & Willemsen, M. C. (2004). Preconceptional smoking: An exploratory study of determinants of change in smoking behavior among women in the fertile age range. Health Education Research, 19(4), 418-429. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg048 Taylor, S. (2011). Stress and health across the lifespan [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_HOxC72Iss Read More