Recently, there has been an increase in interest for the integration of insights from the behavioural sciences into the design process. The Persuasive by Design model aims to provide an evidence-based framework by which designers gain access to relevant theoretical insights from the behavioural sciences. This paper examines the use of the model in two case studies that dealt with complex behavioural change situations. In both studies, the model proved to be a valuable aid in determining target behaviours and operationalizing intervention concepts, especially in the early stages of the design process. Some shortcomings of the model also transpired. The model was seen as too complex, and its psychological frame does not prevent designers to overlook possible systemic moderators of behaviour. Implications for further development of tools that give access to model insights are discussed.
Aim Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide important lifestyle behaviour support for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). They can use behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to do this. We aimed to evaluate which BCTs are used for supporting healthy lifestyle behaviour of people with moderate to profound ID by DSPs. Method 18 DSPs were observed in their daily work with audio-visual recordings. The Coventry Aberdeen London Refined (CALO-RE-NL) taxonomy was used for coding BCTs. Differences in the characteristics of people with ID and DSPs in relation to the used BCTs were evaluated.Results Most of the coded BCTs were used by DSPs (33 BCTs out of 42), but they rely heavily on nine of them. DSPs used ‘feedback on performance’, ‘instructions on how to perform the behaviour’, and ‘doing together’ mostly. No statistical differences were found for the characteristics of people with ID or DSPs for the top nine used BCTs.Conclusion DSPs mostly rely on nine BCTs. Although no statistical differences were found, DSPs use more BCTs for people with more severe ID. DSPs who support people with severe or profound ID are more aware of demonstrating, setting graded tasks and encouraging people with ID to practice healthy lifestyle.
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BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience more health problems and have different lifestyle change needs, compared with the general population.AIMS: To improve lifestyle change interventions for people with ID, this review examined how behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were applied in interventions aimed at physical activity, nutrition or physical activity and nutrition, and described their quality.METHODS AND PROCEDURES: After a broad search and detailed selection process, 45 studies were included in the review. For coding BCTs, the CALO-RE taxonomy was used. To assess the quality of the interventions, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used. Extracted data included general study characteristics and intervention characteristics.OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: All interventions used BCTs, although theory-driven BCTs were rarely used. The most frequently used BCTs were 'provide information on consequences of behaviour in general' and 'plan social support/social change'. Most studies were of low quality and a theoretical framework was often missing.CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This review shows that BCTs are frequently applied in lifestyle change interventions. To further improve effectiveness, these lifestyle change interventions could benefit from using a theoretical framework, a detailed intervention description and an appropriate and reliable intervention design which is tailored to people with ID.
Environmental nano- and micro-plastics (NMPs) are highly diverse [2]. Accounting for this diversity is one of the main challenges to develop a comprehensive understanding of NMPs detection, quantification, fate, and risks [3]. Two major issues currently limit progresses within this field: (a) validation and broadening the current analytical tools (b) uncertainty with respect to NMPs occurrence and behaviour at small scales (< 20 micron). Tracking NMPs in environmental systems is currently limited to micron size plastics due to the size detection limit of the available analytical techniques. There are currently many uncertainties regarding detecting nanoplastics in real environmental systems, e.g. the inexistence of commercially available NMPs and incompatibility between them and those generated from plastic fragments degradation in the environment. Trying to tackle these problems some research groups synthesized NMPs dopped with metals inside [16]. However, even though elemental analysis techniques (ICP-MS) are rather sensitive, the low volume of these metals encapsulated in the nanoparticles make their detection rather challenging. At the same time, due to Sars-Cov-19 pandemic, nucleic acid identification technologies (LAMP, PCR) experienced a fast evolution and are able to provide detection at very low levels with very compact and reliable equipment. Nuclepar proposes the use of Electrohydrodynamic Atomization (EHDA) to generate NMPs coated with nucleic acids of different polymer types, sizes, and shapes, which can be used as support for detection of such particles using PCR-LAMP technology. If proven possible, Nuclepar might become a first step towards an easy NMPs detection tool. This knowledge will certainly impact current risk assessment tools, efficient interventions to limit emissions and adequate regulations related to NMPs.
