Assessing Readiness for Advancing Women Scientists Using the Transtheoretical Model

Facilitating behavior change: Introducing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change as a conservation psychology framework and tool for practitioners

The primary opportunities for improved conservation and sustainability outcomes are through changing human behavior. Zoos, aquariums, and other public-facing biodiversity conservation institutions offer an important space for environmental learning and facilitating proenvironmental behavior change. We have focused, in this review, on examining common behavior change models as well as the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Behavior Change​​​​​, a widely regarded model within the health fields and, recently, in the fields of environmental and leadership studies, with new research applying the TTM specifically in a zoo setting. We have discussed critiques of the TTM and rebuttals to those critiques. We have presented examples of TTM applications in a zoo setting. Our objective has been to explore the TTM as a possible "best fit" framework and tool for zoo and aquarium practitioners in facilitating proenvironmental behavior. Key findings include that (a) the TTM differs significantly from other proenvironmental behavior theoretical models, including those that are prevalent in the conservation psychology literature and applied by zoos and aquariums, in terms of the TTM stages of change and processes of change constructs; (b) the TTM appears to overlap significantly with the 10 interventions or treatments identified by researchers as the most effective approaches to facilitating proenvironmental behavior; and (c) there is nascent and promising application of TTM constructs in zoo and aquarium programming. We remain impressed by the potential of the TTM to address a critical question within the conservation psychology research field concerning proenvironmental behavior: what specific tools to employ and when.

Can Evidence Impact Attitudes? Public Reactions to Evidence of Gender Bias in STEM Fields

Our research capitalized on a naturalistic data collection opportunity to investigate responses to experimental evidence of gender bias within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We analyzed 831 written comments made by members of the public in response to three prominent articles reporting on experimental evidence of science faculty members’ gender biases. Utilizing a mixed-method approach (i.e., thematic and quantitative analysis), we identified the nature and frequency of positive and negative responses, and we investigated possible gender and professional differences in what commenters wrote. Although acknowledgment of gender bias was the most prevalent category, a wide range of positive (e.g., calls for social change) and negative (e.g., justifications of gender bias) reactions emerged. Among the subsample of 423 comments for which it was possible to code commenters’ gender, gender differences arose for the majority of categories, such that men were more likely than women to post negative responses and women were more likely than men to post positive responses. Results were unaffected by commenters’ own STEM field affiliation. We discuss implications for the role of clearly demonstrated bias in prejudice recognition and reduction as well as the development of STEM diversity interventions.

An educational intervention designed to increase women's leadership self-efficacy

Women are sparsely represented in leadership in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Cultural stereotypes about men, women, and leaders influence the attitudes, judgments, and decisions that others make about women and the choices women make for themselves. Multilevel interventions are needed to counteract the impact of these pervasive and easily activated stereotypes, which conspire in multiple ways to constrain women's entry, persistence, and advancement in academic STEMM. We describe an individual-level educational intervention. Using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework, we assessed the success of a semester course on increasing women's leadership self-efficacy for the first three cohorts of course participants (n = 30). Pre/post questionnaires showed gains in leadership self-efficacy, personal mastery, and self-esteem, and decreases in perceived constraints. Qualitative text analysis of weekly journals indicated increasing leadership self-efficacy as course participants applied course information and integrated strategies to mitigate the impact of societal stereotypes into their own leadership practices. Follow-up queries of the first two cohorts supported the enduring value of course participation. We conclude that providing strategies to recognize and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes is effective in increasing leadership self-efficacy in women at early stages of academic STEMM careers.

Stage of adoption for preventive behaviour against passive smoking among pregnant women and women with young children in Taiwan

AIMS

This study assessed the applicability of the transtheoretical model to prevent exposure to passive smoking among pregnant women and women with young children in Taiwan. We examined whether women in different stages of change had different knowledge, processes of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies have found a positive association between the presence of children and a mother's readiness to prevent exposure to passive smoking, a few studies have systematically examined the mothers' stage of adoption for preventive behaviour against passive smoking.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey based on self-reported data was conducted in 2005-2006. A total of 315 women was recruited from perinatal and paediatric clinics at four hospitals. The transtheoretical model measures included knowledge, stages of change, processes of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy towards passive smoking.

RESULTS

Of the 315 women in the study, 17·1% were at the precontemplation stage, 7·9% were at the contemplation/preparation stage and 74·9% were at the action/maintenance stage. Women at the action/maintenance stage scored the highest in knowledge, process of change, pros of decisional balance and self-efficacy, followed by the women at the contemplation/preparation stage and the women at the precontemplation stage.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supported the applicability of the transtheoretical model theory for adoption of preventive behaviour against passive smoking among pregnant women and women with young children.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Nurses could educate pregnant women and women with young children to adopt preventive behaviours against passive smoking using stage-matched intervention strategies, targeting the transtheoretical model constructs, to promote behavioural change.

Review: Conceptualization and Measurement of Organizational Readiness for Change

Health care practitioners and change experts contend that organizational readiness for change is a critical precursor to successful change implementation. This article assesses how organizational readiness for change has been defined and measured in health services research and other fields. Analysis of 106 peer-reviewed articles reveals conceptual ambiguities and disagreements in current thinking and writing about organizational readiness for change. Inspection of 43 instruments for measuring organizational readiness for change reveals limited evidence of reliability or validity for most publicly available measures. Several conceptual and methodological issues that need to be addressed to generate knowledge useful for practice are identified and discussed.