Self-guided Change: The most common form of long-term, maintained health behavior change

Abstract

Millions of people change risky, health-related behaviors and maintain those changes. However, they often take years to change, and their unhealthy behaviors may harm themselves and others and constitute a significant cost to society. A review—similar in nature to a scoping review—was done of the literature related to long-term health behavior change in six areas: alcohol, cocaine and heroin misuse, gambling, smoking, and overeating. Based on the limited research available, reasons for change and strategies for changing and for maintaining change were also reviewed. Fifty years of research clearly indicate that as people age, in the case of alcohol, heroin and cocaine misuse, smoking, and gambling, 80–90 percent moderate or stop their unhealthy behaviors. The one exception is overeating; only 20 percent maintain their weight loss. Most of these changes, when they occur, appear to be the result of self-guided change. More ways to accelerate self-guided, health-related behavior change need to be developed and disseminated.

Experiences of over‐the‐counter codeine misusers and accounts of recovery: A qualitative study in Tasmania, Australia

“…Regardless, the results highlight that not all OTC codeine misusers require health professional intervention or pharmacotherapy to recover, including those taking high dosages and likely to be dependent (Severity of Dependence Scale score ≥ 5). Indeed, within the wider drug misuse literature, self‐change (natural recovery without formal intervention) has received little research attention despite being reported to be the most common form of recovery from risky, health‐related behaviours [44] and an important form of recovery from drug dependence [45]. Self‐change may therefore provide a valuable target for intervention for OTC codeine misuse, including consideration of strategies to facilitate self‐appraisal processes, raise public awareness that natural recovery is common and improve the accessibility of health information via the internet [46].…”

Positive Outliers Among African American Women and the Factors Associated with Long-Term Physical Activity Maintenance

“…Successful maintenance of PA can be achieved by individuals becoming physically active through their participation in a formal PA program or through self-guided changes, and then sustaining these behaviors for >6 months after program cessation or on their own [4,5]. Program-induced changes have been the primary focus of PA research to date, whereas the self-guided changes, in general, have been associated with the maintenance of some other lifestyle-related behaviors [33], including those for which PA is critical for long-term outcomes (i.e., successful weight loss maintenance) [13]. Though some positive outliers achieved maintenance after participating in a program, most women (76.2%) achieved maintenance status on their own.…”

Tracking Diverse Feelings and Activities Encourages Self-guided Holistic Behavior Change

“…The users also reflected on their holistic well-being, including the meaning of having a 'good day'. Self-guided, multiple, intrinsically-motivated, and interconnected change is important as self-guided is the most common long-term and maintained realworld health behavior change [6]. Also, intrinsic motivation is key for behavior change [25].…”

“…Self-guided behavior change is important as behavior change is an internal process [40] and intrinsic motivation is important for change [25]. Also, self-guided behavior change is key for user autonomy and authenticity [43], and is also the most common long-term real-world behavior change [6]. Also, contrary to the commonlyused disconnected and didactic approach to behavior change, selftracking diverse and interconnected activities and feelings enables a holistic holistic self-awareness and self-guided behavior change.…”