The Analytic Angle Podcast

Behavior Change Seminar Series

WHY BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS WORK (OR DON’T WORK)   
Mechanism-Focused Behavioral Science:    
From Theory Selection to Study Design and Implementation

Key to understanding successful behavior change are mechanisms, the processes through which change occurs. These mechanisms are understudied in behavioral science. The aim of this series is to promote the use of mechanistic theory in HIV-related behavior change research and to provide resources that can guide mechanism-focused behavioral science. 

Across three sessions, participants will: (1) be introduced to a widely used approach for theory-based intervention design and conceptualization of mechanisms by the developers of the Behaviour Change Wheel; (2) learn mechanism-focused research methods, access online resources to incorporate mechanisms into their own research, and practice designing their own mechanistic research study; and (3) review and discuss examples of HIV studies that have tested mechanisms underlying behavior change. 

Presenters include Dr. Susan Michie and Dr. Robert West (University College London); Dr. Janna Hastings (University of Zurich and University of St. Gallen); Dr. Marie Johnston (University of Aberdeen); and Dr. Talea Cornelius and Dr. Kathy Sikkema (Columbia University). 

Organized by the Development Core and the Science of Behavior Change Project at Columbia University. Sponsored by the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University.

For additional resources and tools, please visit the Science of Behavior Change Project at Columbia University.

SESSION I: September 13, 2022

THE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR-CHANGE PROJECT, INCLUDING AN ONTOLOGY OF MECHANISMS OF ACTION

Susan Michie, FAcSS, FMedSci, FBA   
Professor of Health Psychology and Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change   
University College London, UK

THE BEHAVIOUR CHANGE WHEEL: AN INTRODUCTION

Robert West, PhD   
Professor Emeritus of Health Psychology   
University College London, UK

LINKING BEHAVIOUR CHANGE TECHNIQUES TO MECHANISMS OF ACTION

Marie Johnston, PhD   
Professor Emeritus of Health Psychology   
University of Aberdeen, UK

SYNTHESISING EVIDENCE ABOUT MECHANISMS USING ONTOLOGIES

Janna Hastings, PhD   
Assistant Professor of Medical Knowledge and Decision Support   
University of Zurich and University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

SESSION II: October 4, 2022

THE SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE: A MECHANISM-FOCUSED APPROACH TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE RESEARCH

Talea Cornelius, PhD, MSW, MS    
Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences    
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

THE SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE: BENEFITS OF APPLYING THE SOBC METHOD TO ONE’S OWN RESEARCH

Jeffrey Birk, PhD, MS    
Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences    
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

The SOBC worksheet for this session can be accessed HERE.

SESSION III: November 1, 2022

IF INTERVENTIONS “WORK” – WHY? ELUCIDATING MECHANISMS OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE THROUGH EVOLVING HIV MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION TRIAL DESIGNS

Kathleen J. Sikkema, PhD   
Stephen Smith Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia 

Digital Seminar Series

IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE 1: WHAT IS (AND ISN’T) IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE?

Presented by: Abigail Baim-Lance, PhD

Member, ISHO Core, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies 

Assistant Professor and Health Services Research Specialist, Veterans Health Administration

MIXED METHODS RESEARCH: INDICATIONS, APPROACHES, ADVANTAGES & FINDINGS

Presented by: Susan Tross, PhD

Co-Director, StAD Core, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies 

Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology (in Psychiatry), Columbia University

Selected Readings:

Mixed Methods Research: A Research Paradigm Whose Time Has Come. Johnson RB and Onwuegbuzie AT (2004). Educational Researcher, 33(7):14-26.

Best Practices For Mixed Methods Research In The Health Sciences. Creswell, JW, Klassen, AC, Plano Clark, VL, Clegg Smith, K (2018). Bethesda: National Institutes Of Health Office Of Behavioral And Social Sciences Research.

Handbook On Mixed Methods Research In The Behavioral And Social Sciences. Tashakkori A and Teddlie C (2010). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Research Ready: Mixed Methods Certification Program. Center For Innovation In Research and Teaching (2019). Grand Canyon University.

WHAT CHARACTERIZES A QUALITATIVE APPROACH TO RESEARCH AND WHEN IS IT THE RIGHT CHOICE?

Presented by: Karolynn Siegel

Professor, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Selected Readings:

Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. Braun V. and Clarke V. (2013). Los Angeles: Sage.

Medical sociology: Some tensions among theory, method and substance. Mechanic D (1989). Journal of  Health and Social Behavior. 30:147-150.

Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Bogdan RC and Biklin SK (1998). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among five traditions. Creswell JD (1998). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Structure and meaning in medical sociology. Pearlin L (1992). Journal of Health and Social Behavior 33:1-9.

WHAT ARE CORRELATIONS AND WHAT DO THEY MEASURE?

Presented by: Martina Pavlicova, PhD 

Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University 

Director, StAD Core, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies.

Selected Readings:

Statistics Corner: A guide to appropriate use of correlation coefficient in medical research. Mukaka MM (2012). Malawi Medical Journal. 24:69-71.

Statistics Square One: Correlation and regression. Campbell MJ (1995). The British Medical Journal Website. Retrieved 01/2019.

Persistent organic pollutants in dust from older homes: learning from lead. Whitehead TP et al. (2014). American Journal of Public Health 104: 1320-1326.

THE PURPOSE OF PILOT STUDIES IN MODERN RESEARCH

Presented by: Martina Pavlicova, PhD 

Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University 

Director, StAD Core, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies.

Selected Readings:

Caution Regarding the Use of Pilot Studies to Guide Power Calculations for Study Proposals. Kraemer HC et al. (2006). Archives of General Psychiatry 63(5):484-489.

The role and interpretation of pilot studies in clinical research. Leon AC, Davis LL, & Kraemer HC (2011). Journal of Psychiatric Research 45(5):626-9.

NCCIH: Pilot Studies: Common Uses and Misuses. National Center for Complementary ad Integrative Health Website (2017). Retrieved 01/2019.

Pilot Studies: A Critical but Potentially Misused Component of Interventional Research. Kistin C & Silverstein M. (2015). JAMA 314(15):1561-2.

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