Abstract
BackgroundPublic health initiatives seek to modify lifestyle behaviours associated with risk (e.g., diet, exercise, and smoking), but underpinning psychological and affective processes must also be considered to maximize success.ObjectiveThis study aimed to qualitatively assess how participants engaged with and utilized the best possible self (BPS)‐intervention specifically as a type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention tool.Design and MethodsFourteen participants engaged with a tailored BPS intervention. Reflexive thematic analysis analysed accounts of participant's experiences and feasibility of use.ResultsAll participants submitted evidence of engagement with the intervention. The analysis considered two main themes: Holistic Health and Control. The analysis highlighted several nuanced ways in which individuals conceptualized their health, set goals, and received affective benefits, offering insights into how people personalized a simple intervention to meet their health needs.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study to tailor the BPS intervention as a public health application for the prevention of T2D. The intervention enabled users to identify their best possible selves in a way that encouraged T2D preventive behaviours. We propose that our tailored BPS intervention could be a flexible and brief tool to assist public health efforts in encouraging change to aid T2D prevention.Public ContributionThe format, language and application of the BPS intervention were adapted in response to a public consultation group that developed a version specifically for application in this study.
Highlights
Public health initiatives seek to modify lifestyle behaviours associated with risk, but underpinning psychological and affective processes must be considered to maximize success
We proposed that the best possible self (BPS) intervention, which targets psychological support, could be an administered and acceptable public health intervention
As a first application of the intervention into the general public domain, we investigated how people engaged with and utilized the ‘Best Possible Self’ intervention when used as a type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention tool
Summary
The worldwide prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), is increasing.[1,2,3] It is estimated that 5 million people are at high risk of developing T2D in England alone.[4]. Gratitude and self‐affirmation tasks, combined with increased social support, improved physical activity and increased self‐ management behaviours in young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).[29] a benefit‐finding task was associated with lower depressive symptoms, higher perceived coping effectiveness, improvements in self‐management behaviours, higher positive affective reactions to stress and superior blood glucose levels in a similar population with T1D.30. A modified version of the ‘best possible self’‐(BPS) intervention was used to help adults with T1D and T2D set diabetes‐specific goals and was shown to improve perceptions of self‐care.[25] The evidence from these positive psychological interventions is promising, given that they provide evidence that positive psychological interventions are at least associated with changes to behaviour, cognition and affective processes, especially in relation to diabetes. As a first application of the intervention into the general public domain, we investigated how people engaged with and utilized the ‘Best Possible Self’ intervention when used as a T2D prevention tool
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