Four psychosocial theories and their application to patient education and clinical practice

Although the development of theoretically based and empirically verified practice guidelines is now possible, some health education practice still remains uninformed by this research-based knowledge. This article describes four psychosocial theories that have been useful in our practices: self-efficacy, stress and coping, learned helplessness, and social support. The theories are introduced and compared; practical suggestions for their use in the development of health education interventions are then discussed. Skills mastery, modeling, reinterpretation of physical signs and symptoms, and persuasion are presented as ways of enhancing self-efficacy. Some similar strategies are presented as examples of coping techniques, including positive reappraisal or reinterpretation. Other coping strategies such as confronting, distancing, self-care, seeking social support, accepting responsibility, escape avoidance or ignoring, problem solving, activity, distraction, self-talk, and prayer are also introduced. Cognitive restructuring is examined most fully as an example of an intervention strategy derived from learned helplessness theory. And finally, five strategies for fostering positive social support are presented: enhancing personal networks, linking volunteers, establishing mutual aid networks, identifying and supporting neighborhood helpers, and community empowerment.