Supporting Behaviour Change
This unit element focuses on the practical application of effective communication and rapport-building techniques to facilitate health behaviour change. It explores how personal, social, and environmental factors influence an individual’s motivation and ability to change, and provides structured approaches for supporting individuals through ambivalence towards commitment and planning. The core aim is to equip learners with the skills to guide, rather than direct, individuals in setting and achieving their own health-related goals.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The RSPH Level 2 Award in Supporting Behaviour Change is a vocational qualification that equips learners with the knowledge and skills to support individuals in making positive health-related behaviour changes. This award is particularly relevant for those working in health and social care settings, such as healthcare assistants, support workers, or community health advisors. The course covers key theories of behaviour change, including the Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) and motivational interviewing techniques, enabling learners to understand why people struggle to change and how to effectively support them through the process.
Understanding behaviour change is crucial in health and social care because many long-term conditions—such as obesity, smoking-related illnesses, and type 2 diabetes—are linked to lifestyle behaviours. By learning how to facilitate sustainable change, professionals can empower individuals to take control of their health, reduce health inequalities, and improve overall wellbeing. This qualification also emphasises ethical practice, confidentiality, and the importance of person-centred approaches, ensuring that support is tailored to each individual's unique circumstances and readiness to change.
Within the wider context of public health, this award aligns with national strategies to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce the burden on healthcare services. It provides a foundation for further study in health promotion, public health, or counselling, and is a valuable addition to any health and social care role. By mastering behaviour change techniques, learners become more effective practitioners who can make a real difference in people's lives.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change): Understand the five stages—precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance—and how to tailor support to each stage.
- →Motivational Interviewing: A client-centred counselling style that enhances motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence, using open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries (OARS).
- →SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives that help individuals plan and track behaviour change effectively.
- →Relapse Prevention: Recognising that setbacks are common and teaching coping strategies to maintain change long-term, including identifying triggers and developing action plans.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Demonstrate effective communication techniques to build rapport with individuals during behaviour change conversations.
- Analyse factors that impact on an individual's ability to change health behaviours, including personal, social, and environmental influences.
- Apply motivational interviewing skills to support an individual in exploring ambivalence about making a lifestyle change.
- Develop a collaborative behaviour change action plan with an individual, incorporating SMART goals.
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating active listening and open-ended questioning to build rapport.
- Look for evidence of exploring the individual's beliefs, motivations, and barriers to change.
- Assess the learner's ability to use reflective statements and affirmations to encourage the individual.
- Check that the action plan includes specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) steps.
- Award credit for demonstrating the use of active listening and open questions to establish rapport and encourage disclosure.
- Award credit for identifying and exploring factors that impact behaviour change, such as beliefs, motivation, environment, and socioeconomic influences.
- Award credit for evidencing a person-centred approach that supports the individual’s autonomy and readiness to change, using models like the Transtheoretical Model.
- Award credit for collaborating with the individual to create a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) action plan for behaviour change.
- Award credit for demonstrating the use of active listening skills (e.g., paraphrasing, reflecting feelings) to establish trust and mutual understanding.
- Acknowledge evidence of exploring an individual's social, environmental, and psychological influences on behaviour using open-ended questioning.
- Recognise effective use of motivational interviewing techniques such as eliciting change talk and rolling with resistance.
- Credit the development of a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) action plan collaboratively with the individual, including identification of potential barriers and strategies to overcome them.
- Award credit for demonstrating effective communication skills, such as active listening, using open-ended questions, and showing empathy when discussing sensitive oral health behaviours.
- Credit for accurately identifying and exploring factors influencing a patient's behaviour change, including personal, social, cultural, and environmental determinants, and linking them to oral health.
- Award credit for supporting the patient in developing a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) plan for behaviour change, ensuring the plan is patient-centred and evidence-based.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Use real-life case studies to demonstrate the application of behaviour change models like the Transtheoretical Model.
- 💡In role-plays, show a non-judgmental, empathetic approach and avoid direct persuasion.
- 💡When documenting an action plan, ensure it reflects the individual's priorities and not the practitioner’s agenda.
- 💡In written assessments, explicitly link your practice to theoretical models (e.g., COM-B, Health Belief Model) to show applied knowledge.
- 💡During observed role-plays, demonstrate empathy, non-judgemental listening, and rolling with resistance as core motivational interviewing skills.
- 💡Provide concrete examples from your portfolio that show how you tailored support to an individual’s unique circumstances and preferences.
- 💡When devising care plans, ensure goals are co-produced and include clear review points to evidence ongoing support and adaptation.
- 💡Always structure your responses around a recognised behaviour change model (e.g., COM-B, Health Belief Model) to demonstrate theoretical understanding.
- 💡In role-play or case study assessments, explicitly mention the communication skills you are using (e.g., 'I am using open questions to explore barriers').
- 💡Link your actions to the principles of person-centred care, emphasising empowerment and autonomy.
- 💡In role-play or observed assessment scenarios, clearly demonstrate the use of the OARS (Open questions, Affirming, Reflecting, Summarising) communication techniques from motivational interviewing.
- 💡When documenting behaviour change support in your portfolio, explicitly reference the behaviour change models or theories you applied, and explain how you tailored interventions to the individual's stage of change.
- 💡During written or oral questioning, use specific examples from practice to illustrate how you helped a patient overcome barriers—this shows applied competence beyond theoretical knowledge.
- 💡When answering questions about the Stages of Change, always link the stage to an appropriate intervention. For example, in precontemplation, use consciousness-raising (e.g., providing information) rather than action-oriented strategies like setting goals.
- 💡For motivational interviewing questions, demonstrate understanding of the 'spirit' (partnership, acceptance, compassion, evocation) and give specific examples of OARS skills. Avoid simply defining the term; show how it is applied in practice.
- 💡Use real-world examples to illustrate behaviour change principles. For instance, describe how you would support someone trying to quit smoking using the Transtheoretical Model and motivational interviewing. This shows application of knowledge, which gains higher marks.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Focusing solely on giving advice rather than facilitating the individual's own decision-making.
- Neglecting to explore the individual's readiness to change before attempting to move into planning.
- Setting goals that are too vague or unrealistic, which can demotivate the individual.
- Adopting a prescriptive or advice-giving style rather than empowering the individual to identify their own solutions.
- Neglecting to assess the individual’s current stage of change, leading to mismatched interventions.
- Overlooking the impact of wider determinants of health, such as housing, income, or social support, on behaviour change.
- Using jargon or complex language without checking the individual’s understanding, which can damage rapport.
- Assuming an individual is ready to change without assessing their stage of readiness (e.g., using the Transtheoretical Model).
- Offering advice or solutions before fully understanding the individual's personal context and motivations.
- Failing to consider the broader determinants of health, such as socioeconomic factors, that impact behaviour change.
- Creating a plan without involving the individual in decision-making, leading to a lack of ownership.
- Assuming all patients are ready to change without assessing their current stage of change, leading to resistance or disengagement.
- Giving direct advice or telling the patient what to do rather than using a guiding style to elicit the patient's own motivations and solutions.
- Overlooking the impact of socioeconomic factors, cultural beliefs, or mental health on a patient's ability to change oral health behaviours, resulting in unrealistic expectations.
- Misconception: Behaviour change is simply about willpower. Correction: While willpower plays a role, sustainable change requires understanding the stages of change, addressing ambivalence, and building skills like goal-setting and self-monitoring. The Transtheoretical Model shows that change is a process, not an event.
- Misconception: Motivational interviewing is just being nice to clients. Correction: It is a structured, evidence-based technique that involves specific skills (OARS) and strategies to elicit 'change talk' and strengthen commitment. It is not about being passive or agreeing with everything the client says.
- Misconception: Once someone reaches the maintenance stage, they are 'cured'. Correction: Maintenance requires ongoing effort to prevent relapse. Individuals may cycle through stages multiple times before achieving long-term change, and support should continue to reinforce new behaviours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for ROYAL SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH Supporting Behaviour Change
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic understanding of health and social care principles, such as person-centred care and confidentiality.
- •Familiarity with common health issues like obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity, as these are often used as examples in the course.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Effective Communication & Rapport Building
- Exploring Barriers to Change
- Motivational Interviewing Techniques
- Goal Setting & Action Planning
- Assessing Readiness to Change
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
- Understand how to communicate effectively and build rapport with an individualUnderstand what can impact on behaviour change and how to explore these factors with an individualUnderstand how an individual can be supported in thinking about making a lifestyle or health behaviour change Understand how to support an individual to plan for a behaviour change
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