1. ACE Personal Trainer Manual 5th Edition
Chapter 4: Basics of Behavioral Change and Health Psychology
Lesson 4.2

2. After completing this session, you will be able to:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this session, you will be able to:
Identify the primary principles of behavioral change (operant conditioning, shaping, and observational learning)
Identify strategies for behavioral change, including stimulus control, written agreements, behavioral contracting, and cognitive behavioral techniques
Implement basic behavior-change and health-psychology strategies to help clients adherence to their exercise programs

3. PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
The adoption of physical activity is a complicated process that requires replacing sedentary behaviors with healthy, active behaviors.
This process of behavioral change is a gradual progression that requires effort, dedication, and commitment.
A personal trainer must understand the factors that control behavior:
Operant conditioning
Shaping
Observational learning
Cognitions and behavior
It is the personal trainer’s job to provide guidance and support to help change client behaviors by influencing their attitudes, motives, emotions, and performance.

4. PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Operant conditioning is the process by which behaviors are influenced by their consequences and examines the relationship between:
Antecedents
Behaviors
Consequences
Operant conditioning examines the behavior chains that lead to the engagement of certain behaviors and the avoidance of others, taking into account the consequences associated with each behavior:
Behaviors are strengthened when they are reinforced.
By using reinforcements, positive behaviors have consequences that increase the likelihood of the behavior happening again.
At the most basic level with a new client, a positive behavior is simply showing up to the gym. If the success of this behavior (which can be a real victory for a new exerciser) is ignored by the personal trainer, the likelihood of it happening again will decrease.
However, if the client is verbally rewarded for showing up and is further rewarded with a positive, pleasant, and supportive workout experience, then the behavior has been positively reinforced and the likelihood of it happening again has been increased.
As personal trainers, the opportunity to trigger lasting change is always present, and the basic principle of operant conditioning can serve as a good reminder of the influence personal trainers have with each client they encounter.

5. PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
The consequence following a behavior will influence the future occurrence of that behavior.
Positive reinforcement:
The presentation of a positive stimulus
Increases the likelihood that the behavior will reoccur
Negative reinforcement:
The removal or avoidance of aversive stimuli following the undesirable behavior
Also increases the likelihood that the behavior will reoccur
The most important component of operant conditioning is what happens after a behavior is executed.
For example, if a client is late to a training session and the trainer does not say anything about the tardiness and just extends the workout in accordance with the number of minutes that the client was late, this client will likely be late again because there was not accountability or an aversive consequence to his tardiness.
If a tardy client was told that his appointment was cancelled due to his tardiness and that he must be on time for his workout sessions, he will likely not be late again.

6. PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Extinction:
Occurs when a positive stimulus that once followed a behavior is removed
Decreases the likelihood of the behavior reoccurring
Punishment:
Consists of an aversive stimulus following an undesirable behavior
Increases fear
Decreases enjoyment
Must be used sparingly and only when appropriate
It is important that trainers learn to provide appropriate feedback and consequences to clients’ behaviors.
Actions that are done well should be positively reinforced and actions that need improvement should not be ignored.

7. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Stimulus control refers to making adjustments to the environment to increase the likelihood of healthy behaviors, such as:
Choosing a gym that is in the direct route between home and work
Keeping a gym bag in the car that contains all the required items for a workout
Having workout clothes, socks, and shoes laid out for early morning workouts
Writing down workout times as part of a weekly schedule
Clients surrounding themselves with other people interested in being active
The overall goal of stimulus control is to make being physically active as convenient as possible.
Personal trainers should listen continuously for cues from their clients that are reflective of difficulty with adherence, and should be prepared to provide tips and strategies to help reduce the effort required to stick with the program.

8. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Written agreements and behavioral contracting are effective behavior-change tools that can be used together or on their own to help people stick with their exercise programs.
Written agreements:
Should be developed first before contracts
Can be between the personal trainer and client or just by the client
Should outline the expectations of the client and the trainer
Decrease ambiguity and clarify the roles of all people involved
Should be so specific that behaviors, attitudes, and commitments are clearly outlined
Will only be effective if the client has an active role in its development
Should be reviewed and adjusted at all program-modification points

9. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Once a written agreement has been established, an effective behavioral contract should be created.
Behavioral contracts:
Are created by both the personal trainer and client
Should outline a system of rewards for maintaining the program and maximizing adherence
Rewards must be outlined by the client.
Rewards must be meaningful or they will not be perceived by the client as worth the effort.
Must be revised and updated as goals are met and programs are modified

10. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Cognitive behavioral techniques are effective tools that influence behavioral change by targeting how people think and feel about being physically active.
When using cognitive techniques, one must:
Identify problematic beliefs that are barriers to change
Change the obstructive thoughts
Effective cognitive behavioral techniques include:
Goal setting
Feedback
Decision making
Self-monitoring
As with all behavior-change techniques, cognitive behavioral techniques are effective when used alone and when used together with other behavior-change strategies.

11. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Goal setting is one of the most widely used and straightforward cognitive behavioral techniques.
In order for goal setting to be most effective, goals must:
Be included as a regular part of the exercise program
Be written following the SMART goal guidelines (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound)
Clients should always be aware of what they are working toward and what it will take to get there.
Personal trainers should be able to clearly guide clients through the goal-setting process and help them understand how to set effective and appropriate goals.

12. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Extrinsic feedback is most common and includes the reinforcement and encouragement that personal trainers give to their clients.
As efficacy and ability build, trainers should:
Taper off the amount of external feedback they provide
Encourage clients to start providing feedback for themselves
Long-term program adherence is dependent on a client’s ability to provide internal feedback.
Clients must learn to reinforce their own behaviors by providing internal encouragement, error correction, and even negative consequences.
It is important for personal trainers to not give too much feedback.

13. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Decision making is reflective of a client’s ability to control a situation and choose appropriately among alternative courses of action.
Personal trainers can teach effective decision-making skills by giving clients control over their own program participation.
It is important that personal trainers:
Do not make every decision and micromanage their clients’ programs
Provide their clients the information needed to determine the outcome of their programs
Continuously educate their to give them the knowledge they need to be successful on their own .

14. STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Self-monitoring helps a client keep track of program participation and progress, or lack thereof.
Self-monitoring is also:
An information-gathering process that will help clients and trainers identify potential barriers to success
Most effective in the form of keeping a journal that records thoughts, experiences, and emotions
Extremely helpful in developing an effective plan for long-term adherence
Only committed clients will be able to successfully self-monitor, as it requires honesty and self-reflection.

15. IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
No assessment tool is available that personal trainers can give to their clients that will provide all the information they need about self-efficacy, health beliefs, and readiness to change.
Therefore, it is essential for the personal trainer to be able to:
Use effective and consistent communication to gain a better understanding about each client
Gather information through effective communication and observation for use in the program design and implementation
Continually gather information about the client’s attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs as part of each training session
Make minor adjustments and modifications to the program on an ongoing basis
Use feedback to be aware of the changes occurring with the client and make appropriate adjustments that maximize adherence
Effective and successful personal trainers will not only understand the theoretical constructs of behavioral change, but will also be able to apply that information when working with clients.
It is this application of knowledge that will generate adherence and long-term success for the trainer and the client.

16. PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
Think about your own daily routine and how you may already be using some of the principles of behavioral change in your own life.
Are there any techniques you can encourage your clients to use to improve their program adherence or adoption of sustained healthy lifestyle changes?

17. SUMMARY
Helping others make changes in their exercise behaviors is a challenging and ongoing process.
It requires a personal trainer to excel at communication, rapport building, and program design.
A firm understanding of the theoretical behavior models will provide personal trainers with the knowledge required to help their clients make lasting behavioral changes.
The psychological component of exercise programming is also an ongoing process.
Psychological states change and require unique strategies to help foster positive behavioral modification.