What the guide does not tell you: reflections on and lessons learned from applying the COM-B behavior model for...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Health psychology
• Chronic disease management

Background:

• Inconsistent effectiveness of current heart failure (HF) self-care interventions highlights a need for theory-based approaches.
• The COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Physical, Psychological, Social, and Automatic) behavior model offers a robust framework for developing effective self-management interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and address practical and methodological challenges encountered when applying the COM-B model to heart failure self-care.
• To provide actionable solutions and lessons learned for researchers designing behavior change interventions for HF self-management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized "The Behaviour Change Wheel" handbook as a guide for applying the COM-B model.
• Documented practical and methodological challenges during the application process.
• Developed and reported solutions to overcome identified challenges.

Main Results:

• Application of the COM-B model presented challenges in categorizing determinants and prioritizing intervention techniques, involving some subjectivity.
• Specific solutions were developed to address these challenges, enabling practical application of the COM-B model.
• The process illustrated how to systematically design theory-based behavior change interventions for HF self-care.

Conclusions:

• The COM-B model, despite application challenges, provides a structured approach to developing effective HF self-care interventions.
• Researchers can benefit from understanding potential challenges and practical solutions when using the COM-B model.
• This work serves as a reference for applying the COM-B model in designing robust, theory-driven behavior change interventions for chronic conditions.