Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49 ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ Ageing ...

Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49
The activities of the experiential processes are:
– Consciousness raising
Recalling information about the problem and creating new awareness of the problem, e.g.
I recall information, I have heard or read about the consequences and cures of obesity.
Interventions that can increase awareness include feedback, confrontations,
interpretations, and media campaigns.
– Social liberation
Increasing of social opportunities or alternatives that makes it easier to change one’s
behaviour, e.g. advocacy, empowerment procedures and appropriate policies can produce
increased opportunities for health promotion interventions, such as salad bars in senior
clubs, easy access to diet consultations.
– Dramatic relief
Emotional expression and reaction if the problem is mentioned. Experiencing the
negative emotions (fear, anxiety, worry) that go along with unhealthy behavioural risk;
e.g. I react emotionally to articles about obesity elder people who died due to heart attack.
– Self-re-evaluation
Cognitive and emotional/affective assessment of one’s self-image with or without a
particular unhealthy habit. Acceptance of the problem and the necessity to change values,
e.g. I feel satisfied of myself, as an active person.
– Environment re-evaluation
Considering the problem in the context of the individual’s social and physical world, e.g.
I consider the view that I cause additional problems to my family who will have to take
care about me when I am getting more health problems due to my obesity.
The behavioural processes consist of:
– Self-liberation
Self-liberation is both the belief that one can change and the commitment and
recommitment to act on that belief e.g. I make commitments to close people that I will
change the diet and improve physical activity.
– Helping relationships
This activity combines caring, trust, openness, and acceptance as well as social support
for healthy behaviour change. Rapport building and counsellor calls can be source of
social support.
– Stimulus control
Things are removed that reminds on unhealthy habits and prompts are added for healthier
alternatives. Avoidance, and self-help groups can provide stimuli that support change and
reduce risks for relapse.
– Counter conditioning
Substituting healthy behaviours and cognition’s for unhealthy ones. Relaxation, assertion,
and positive self-statements are strategies for finding positive substitutes.
– Contingency management
Increasing the rewards for positive behavioural change, contingency contracts, overt and
covert reinforcements, and group recognition are procedures for increasing reinforcement.
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