This assignment is designed to give students a taste of what it is like to be a researcher, clinical health, or sport psychologist. It will provide students with an opportunity to learn more about a problematic health behaviour or to learn more about improving a performance aspect of their choice. This will allow students to gain experience in planning, applying, and evaluating an intervention for their chosen health or sport behaviour. The task is to develop and write a research proposal.

Steps for a Successful Behaviour Change Assignment:

1. Select a behaviour (health or sport related) you would like to change and identify a SMART goal.

This can be anything from an unhealthy problem behaviour you would like to decrease or eliminate (e.g. reducing time on your electronic device, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, eating fatty snacks), or a healthy behaviour or sports behaviour that you would like to improve or increase (e.g. exercising, lift more on squats, eating certain foods, sleep behaviour etc…).

2. Conduct research on how the behaviour you have chosen can be changed.

This should include a background literature search on the role of the behaviour as either a risk factor or promoting factor for what you wish to improve. You should identify and summarise empirical studies from academic journals describing attempts to change the behaviour. Keep in mind that the best evidence for the efficacy of interventions comes from randomised controlled trials (RCT’s) (which are also referred to as clinical trials). For some topics, there will be no or few RCT’s, in which case you can also refer to studies that report the results of single case research designs (n = 1). You should also look for systematic review articles as they generally summarise the evidence supporting interventions for your chosen health behaviour. You can read the following papers for an overview of possible interventions and to assist with ideas regarding creating protocols, but you should do additional research once you have selected a specific intervention:

Peters, G., de Bruin., M., & Crutzen, R. (2015). Everything should be as simple as possible, but no simpler: towards a protocol for accumulating evidence regarding the active content of health behaviour change interventions, Health Psychology Review, 9:1, 1-14, DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2013.848409.

Michie, S., Abraham, C., Whittington, C., McAteer, J., & Gupta, S. (2009). Effective techniques in healthy eating and physical activity interventions: A meta-regression. Health Psychology, 28(6), 690-701.

3. Design a behavioural diary that you can record in daily to self-monitor and check your progress.

Items to track may include how often you engage in the behaviour, to what extent (amount, degree, frequency), and other details such as with whom you are with when you engage in the behaviour, where you engage in it and whatever other details you deem helpful for behaviour change. You must select some way of quantifying the health behaviour (e.g., frequency of cigarettes smoked each day). Some health behaviours lend themselves well to being measured in multiple ways – this is acceptable, but you should decide on one primary outcome measure.

As a guideline, the length of the research proposal should be no more than 1000 words, excluding references and tables. Text should be word-processed, with an appropriate layout and use of headings/sub-headings. Diagrams should be used to illustrate specific aspects, this may include your SMART goals as a diagram, methodology used to record data, examples, images etc. The list of references should be in APA format and included at the end of your word document. Please save and upload your file in word format. Note: more information is provided on the moodle site.

Below is a summary of the marking criteria (further details provided on moodle):

Develop a SMART goal based on your behaviour (25 marks)

Clear breakdown of your SMART goal which is organised and integrated in a logical manner and builds a clear goal.

Background and literature review – selection and description of behaviour (20 marks)

All literature presented is empirical research that is relevant to the behaviour. Key aspects of research described accurately and coherently. Key terms are defined where appropriate.

Methodology and evidence on how to change this behaviour (25)

Clarity and precision in description of design, measures (incl. behavioural diary, application) and procedures as to how you will attempt to change this behaviour.

Quality of written communication skills, presentation style, and word count (25 marks)

Purposeful, well integrated, and succinct academic writing which clearly conveys key points. Writing is either free from errors or has very minor errors in vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and/or organisation that do not affect comprehension and readability. Word count is within limits.

APA Referencing style (5 marks)

Referencing (in text and reference list) and presentation conforms to current edition of APA style.

The purpose of this assignment is to give students an opportunity to deliver an oral presentation (5-7 mins) based on their own individual research. The oral presentation will allow students to report what behavioural change they made and the findings from their research (if you have any concerns don’t be afraid to ask). As a guideline, the presentation must be in a video file (e.g. mp4, or mp4 link on word doc) along with a power point file. While there are no word limits, there is a duration limit of 7 mins. Please find below the following criteria. Note: further details are available on the moodle site and will be provided during term.

Oral Presentation

The oral presentation should be relatively easy to put together once you have completed your own research. This gives you an opportunity to consolidate what you have learnt about the behaviour and report the findings from your behavioural change. See below for some guidance

1. Title Page

2. What behaviour you identified

3. An overview of the behaviour – what it is, why it is important

4. How you attempted to change this behaviour

- Include a copy of your behaviour change diary/data at the end of your ppt. as appendices slides

5. What were the findings and results?

- Include data, comparisons, and graphs

6. Practical Implications

7. Conclusions

As a guideline, the presentation must be in a video file (e.g. mp4, or mp4 link on word doc) along with a power point file. While there are no word limits, there is a duration limit of 7 mins. Please find below the following criteria. Note: further details are available on the moodle site and will be provided during term.

Below is a summary of the marking criteria (further details provided on moodle):

Organization (20 marks)

The type of presentation is appropriate for the topic and audience.

Information is presented in a logical sequence.

Level of preparation is clear and well set-out.

Content (40 marks)

Introduction is attention-getting, lays out the behaviour and problem well, and establishes a framework for the rest of the presentation.

Technical terms are well-defined in language appropriate for the target audience.

Presentation contains accurate information.

Clear methods relevant to the behaviour change.

Appropriate amount of material is prepared, and points made

Relevant examples reflect well their relative importance.

Results Presented clearly with Practical Implications.

Presentation (30 marks)

Speaker maintains good eye contact with the audience and is appropriately animated (e.g., gestures, moving around, etc.).

Speaker uses a clear, audible voice.

Delivery is poised, controlled, and smooth.

Good language skills and pronunciation are used.

Visual aids are well prepared, informative, effective, and not distracting.

Length of presentation is within the assigned time limits.

Appendices (10 marks)

Record of data: this may take many forms including diary, application based, photo evidence or other formats.

Accuracy of recording and clarity across data.

The conversation offers informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our work. It offers a plain English guide to the latest developments and discoveries from the university and research sector. Your task is to write an informed commentary of a contemporary issue related to health or sports psychology. Examples of recent articles can be found here - https://theconversation.com/au

As a guideline, the length of the research proposal should be no more than 1500 words, excluding references and tables. Text should be word-processed, with an appropriate layout and use of headings/sub-headings. The list of references should be in APA format and included at the end of your word document. Please save and upload your file in word format. Note: more information is provided on the moodle site.

Below is a summary of the marking criteria (further details provided on moodle):

Title (5 marks)

Creative, catchy title that represents the topic addressed

Concise and accurately summarises the topic addressed

Body (25 marks)

On topic, concise and develops argument

Position of written piece clearly identified

Research led arguments

Identifies gap or relevant to contemporary sports psychological issues

Evidence of critical evaluation and discussion of material

Not too many direct quotes (i.e., maximum of two, brief, quotes)

References (5 marks)

Correct APA format in-text and reference list

In-text and reference list match exactly

Style/Presentation (5 marks)

Grammar, spelling and sentence structure

Overall readability, flow of writing

Appropriate use of sub-headings