Keyword Search Tags
Project Phase:
Planning Phase
Approaches for Working With Communities:
Community Development Approach, Community Engagement Approach, Societal Outreach and Campaigns Approach
Behavioural Drivers (COM-B):
Behaviour Change Diagnosis and Planning
Project Support:
Facilitator Resources, Needs Assessment, Gender Analysis
This Behaviour Change/Com-B Diagnosis Community Question Guide is recommended to be used as a framework to understand the COM-B components sufficiently to enable community facilitators rely on their own critical thinking and effective facilitation skills to identify what community members need in order to enact a target behaviour in terms of capability, motivation, and opportunities (COM-B). Overly adhering to these examples questions is not recommended. Facilitators are encouraged create their own contextually appropriate questions to ask to diagnose what needs to change when conducting a COM-B diagnosis in discussion with community members. Select or adapt example questions from this resource only as needed to support your exploration of barriers to change in consultation with communities.
The example questions relevant to the six subcomponents of COM-B outlined in the table below reflect the different Theoretical Domains associated with each COM-B subcomponent. These are just example questions and are not all necessary to ask during a COM-B analysis, as this would prove too time consuming. Rather, they reflect examples of questions that may be helpful to determining what someone may need in order to enact a desired target behaviour (in terms of COM-B). They are not prescriptive or exhaustive, but rather are intended to provide community facilitators with a sense of what each COM-B component means.
When conducting a COM-B diagnosis with communities, it is common for responses to questions to be relevant to more than one COM-B subcomponent. It is therefore helpful to take some time to carefully review responses after discussions are held, and organize or code them in terms of their relevance to the different COM-B subcomponents. Responses can not only help identify the COM-B barriers to behaviour change, they can also identify factors that could potentially enable or motivate desired behaviour change which may useful for projects to consider in their behaviour change planning.
The COM-B diagnosis of what needs to change for a desired behaviour to be adopted can then be used to identify the type of interventions and behaviour change techniques most likely to be effective in addressing the identified COM-B barriers to behaviour change. Using the Behaviour Change Wheel is recommended to support this process as it provides an evidence-based framework for identifying the types of interventions and behaviour change techniques evidenced within behaviour change science to be most effective in addressing different COM-B barriers to change [21]. Refer to the facilitator resource 13. Guidance on Identifying Effective Behaviour Change Strategies Based on COM-B Diagnosis for further guidance.
| Table of Example Questions Supporting COM-B Diagnosis | |
|---|---|
| COM-B Drivers | Example Questions Supporting COM-B Diagnosis Associated with the Theoretical Domains |
| Capability: Physical | Physical Skills: (Domain Definition: an ability or proficiency acquired through practice; skills, skills development, ability, interpersonal skills, practice, skills assessment) • What skills do you think are required to be able to do [specify desired behaviour]? • Do you know how to [specify desired behaviour]? • How competent do you feel in doing [specify target behaviour]? • Have you practiced the [specify the desired behaviour]? • Can you think of any ways in which your own skills for doing [specify desired behaviour] could be improved? • Given your existing skills and (physical) strength, how easy or difficult would you find doing [specify desired behaviour]? • How/where can you receive training learn how to [specify the desired behaviour]? (responses may relate to psychological capability, and/or physical or social opportunity) • Do you have the skills to work with others as needed to undertake [specify target behaviour]? |
| Capability: Psychological | Knowledge (Domain Definition: an awareness of the existence of something; including knowledge of condition/scientific rationale, procedural knowledge, knowledge of task environment): • How do you know/are you able recognize when [specify targeted animal welfare issue] is distressing the animal/needs to be addressed? • Can you tell me about what causes [specify targeted animal welfare issue]? • What does your animal need for [specify targeted animal welfare issue] to be improved/resolved? • What do you think about [specify desired behaviour] being recommended to address [specify targeted animal welfare issue]/Do you know why [specify desired behaviour] is recommended? • What do you know about/ How familiar are you with [specify desired behaviour required]? Do you feel you need any more knowledge in order to be able to address [specify animal welfare issue] or to adopt/practice [specify desired behaviour]? PROBE: what has prevented you from becoming knowledgeable in the ways you feel would be needed? Are there adequate opportunities to practice [specify desired behaviour] so you feel confident and competent in doing it? Memory, Attention, and Decision Processes (Domain Definition: ability to retain information, focus selectively on aspects of the environment and choose between two or more alternatives, memory, attention, attention control, decision making, cognitive overload/tiredness): • Is doing [specify desired behaviour] in the [specify context and desired timing/frequency of desired behaviour as applicable] something you would normally do? If no, why not? If yes, what helped you decide to do it? • Is doing [specify target behaviour] something you think you would likely often forget? • If you are likely to forget doing [specify target behaviour], what do you think would help you to remember? • What do you think will help you to stop doing [specify undesired behaviour]? (responses may be relevant to other domains) • What would stop you from doing [specify desired behaviour] in the [specify context and desired timing/frequency of desired behaviour as applicable]? (responses may be relevant to other domains) • How much attention do you think you will need invest/pay to do [specify target behaviour]? /How much cognitive power is needed to do [specify target behaviour]…is it affected by tiredness or other factors (please explain)? • What could influence your decision to do [specify target behaviour]? If no, why not? (responses may be related to other domains) Behavioural Regulation (Domain Definition: anything aimed at managing or changing behaviour e.g. self-monitoring; breaking habit; action planning): • Will doing [specify target behaviour] require breaking any well-formed habits? Please explain any existing habits by telling me more about what triggers you to initiate the current habitual behaviour (e.g. internal or external cues), and what you do in response to those cues (e.g. physical, mental and/or emotional responses to cues), and what reward or benefit you experience as a result which keeps you doing this habitual practice (e.g. why this habit/way of doing things is worth it)? • Are there things that would help to prompt you to do [specify desired behaviour]? • What would need to happen for you to do this [specify desired behaviour] as recommended to address the [specify targeted animal welfare issue]? • Are there particular groups of people for whom doing [specify desired behaviour] is more difficult? Please explain your response, what makes it more difficult for these groups in comparison to others? • To what extent do you feel that self-monitoring of your behaviours would be needed to do [specify target behaviour]? |
| Opportunity: Physical | Environmental Context and Resources (Domain Definition: Any circumstance of a person’s situation or environment that discourages or encourages a behaviour; includes: environmental stressors, resources, enabling culture/climate, salient events/critical incidents, interaction between person and their environment, barriers and facilitators): • What materials or services are needed for you to be able to practice [specify desired behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? • What things make it easy for you to practice [specify desired behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? • What things make it difficult for you to practice [specify desired behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? Prompt as needed e.g. access and availability of resources, finances, time? • How difficult is it to get/obtain [list any known resources/services/support needed for practicing the desired behaviour]? • Are there competing tasks and time constraints which may affect your ability to do [specify target behaviour]? Please specify. • To what extent does access or availability of any resources/services affect your ability to [specify target behaviour]? • Is doing or not doing [specify target behaviour] associated with or interrupted by critical incidences or events? • Are there accessibility factors or environmental influences that change the likelihood of [specify target behaviour]? • Are there other barriers and facilitators to doing [specify target behaviour]? (responses may be related to other domains) |
| Opportunity: Social | Social Influences (Domain Definition: interpersonal processes that can cause individuals to change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviours; includes: social pressure; social/cultural norms; group conformity, social comparisons, social support; power; intergroup conflict; group identity, and/or modelling): • What pressures do you face from others to do or not do [specify target behaviour]? • Is there anyone that would disapprove of you or make it challenging for you to do [specify target behaviour]? Please describe how they, or your relationship with them, would make it difficult? • How important/not important do the people important to you think it is to do [specify desired behaviour]/address [specify target animal welfare issue]? Please explain why they may think this. • How would the people that you live and socialise with help you do [specify desired behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? Prompt as needed: family, peers, social groups. • How do the people that you live and socialise with make it difficult for you to do [specify desired behaviour]? Prompt as needed: family, peers, social groups • Who do you see people around you doing [specify desired behaviour]; and if yes, how does this influence you? • Are there any cultural, traditional, or community beliefs or values which would make [specify target behaviour] less socially acceptable or challenging to adopt? • Are there any power dynamics or social norms within your community or household which would affect whether you can do [specify target behaviour]? |
| Motivation: Automatic | Reinforcement (Domain Definition: Increasing the probability of a response by arranging a dependent relationship, or contingency between the response and a given stimulus; includes: rewards, incentives; punishment, consequences, reinforcement, contingents, sanctions etc. which increase the probability of a particular behaviour): • How easy or difficult do you think it would be to remember to [specify target behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] every time you need to do it/ [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? e.g., very difficult, somewhat difficult, or not difficult at all? Please explain your answer/why you feel this way. • What are the incentives for you to change from current practice to [specify desired behaviour], and how likely do you feel these benefits rewards are? • What evidence do you have that doing [specify target behaviour] would be a good thing? • What are the costs or consequences of not doing [specify target behaviour]? (Responses may also be relevant to Reflective Motivation/Beliefs about Consequences Domain) • What punishments or sanctions may be experienced/imposed for doing [specify target behaviour]? Emotion (Domain Definition: positive or negative feelings which can encourage or discourage a particular behaviour; includes: fear, anxiety, stress, depression, positive/negative affect): • When you can care for your animal and meet its needs, how does it make you feel? • When thinking about changing your practices to [specify target behaviour], how does this make you feel? Is this likely to cause you any anxiety, stress, burn out, or other any other positive or negative emotions? Please explain why you would feel this way? |
| Motivation: Reflective | Social/Professional Role and Identity (Domain Definition: coherent set of behaviours and displayed personal qualities of an individual in a social or work setting; includes: personal, social and group identify, professional identify, roles boundaries, and confidence, leadership/management/business clients): • Is doing [specify desired behaviour] compatible or in conflict with [specify professional identity/standard]? • What do you feel about the credibility of the source of the recommendation/guidance about doing [specify target behaviour] to improve [specify animal welfare issue]? • Do you feel [specify target behaviour] is aligned with what others in their social or professional group/network are going (e.g. other households, animal owners/carers, animal breeders/producers, animal cart drivers etc.)? • To what extent do leaders/managers/clientele facilitate people’s adoption of [specify desired behaviour]? • To what extent are leaders/managers/clients willing to listen problems associated with [specify animal welfare issue] and [specify target behaviour] recommended to address it? (select the subject of question as appropriate to context of behaviour) Belief About Capabilities (Domain Definition: self-confidence; perceived competence or ability which can; includes: perceived competence, self-efficacy, perceived behavioural control, beliefs, self-esteem, empowerment, confidence) • How confident do you feel in your ability to [specify desired action] in [specify context behaviour occurs] and [specify desired timing/frequency of behaviour]? PROBE: - if confidence low: what would make you feel more confident? Is there anything that would increase your confidence? - if not doing it: how confident are you that you could change to doing [specify desired behaviour]? - if already doing it: how confident are you in maintaining or enhancing your existing practice? • How well equipped are you to do make this change and do [specify desired behaviour]? • Have you had (or do you envision) any problems/experienced any challenges trying do [specify desired behaviour]? / What makes it/would make it difficult for you to [specify target behaviour]? Why does this/do these make it difficult? What would make it easier? • Do you think you could carry on doing the [specify desired behaviour] in [specify context behaviour occurs] [specify timing/frequency of behaviour] if you started? Why or why not? Optimism (Domain Definition: confidence things will happen for the best or that desired goals will be attained; includes; optimism, pessimism, unrealistic optimism, identify) • Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the outcome of [specify target behaviour]/resolving {specify welfare issue]? Please explain your rationale. Intentions (Domain Definition: conscious decision to perform a behaviour/resolve to act; includes: stability/strength of intentions, stages of change) • How much do you want to take action to resolve [specify targeted animal welfare issue] by adopting [specify desired behaviour]? • Do you intend to do {specify target behaviour] consistently over time? Please explain your rationale. Goals (Domain Definition: Mental representations of outcomes an individual wants to achieve; includes: goals (distal/proximal), goal priority, goal/target setting. goals (autonomous/controlled), action planning implementation intention) • Are there goals set in the immediate or distant future related addressing [specify targeted animal welfare issue]? • How important are achieving goals associated with doing [specify target behaviour]/improving [specify target animal welfare issue]? • Are there other things that you want to achieve that could interfere with, or that you think are more important than doing the [specify desired behaviour]? • How much do you feel you need to do [specify target behaviour]? • Has a plan been put in action to do [specify target behaviour] to address [specify target animal welfare issue]? Beliefs about Consequences (Domain Definition: beliefs; outcome expectancies; characteristics of outcome expectancies; anticipated regret; consequents; includes: beliefs, outcome expectancies, characteristics of outcome expectancies, anticipate regret, consequents) • What do you think will happen if you do [specify desired behaviour] to address [specify targeted animal welfare issue]? • Do you believe doing [specify target behaviour] is useful? Please explain why or why not? (responses may be relevant to Automatic Motivation/Reinforcement Domain) • What do you think are the advantages or benefits of [specify desired behaviour] for a) you? and b) your animal? (responses may be relevant to Automatic Motivation/Reinforcement Domain) • What do you think are the costs or consequences of adopting [specify desired behaviour] for a) you and b) your animal? (responses may be relevant to Automatic Motivation/Reinforcement Domain) • In your opinion, do the benefits of adopting [specify target behaviour] outweigh the costs/consequences? (responses may be relevant to Automatic Motivation/Reinforcement Domain) Do you feel you may regret doing [specify target behaviour]? Please explain your rationale. |
| General | • Is there anything else that you would like to add about what may encourage or discourage someone from being able to do [specify desired behaviour]? • Are there any other factors that you think might be important to consider about [specify desired behaviour] or [specify animal welfare issue] that we haven’t covered? |
Questions Examples Adapted from [108, 21, 109, 110]
Facilitation Notes
- When developing/asking COM-B diagnosis questions, ensure you:
- Frame questions to be open-ended (e.g. not yes/no)
- Focus questions on the target behaviour;
- Ask additional probing questions as needed to elicit details; and
- Include questions on only the TDF domains that may be relevant to your target behaviour and project context.
- It will be important to first ensure there is sufficient rapport with respondents before initiating in-depth questioning about the specific target behaviour. Discussions should begin with some general greetings and introduction, and/or initial engaging background questions rather than starting with the COM-B diagnosis questions.
- The order/layout of the questions in the table above DO NOT represent the most logical order they should be asked but rather simply lay out examples of the types of questions which may be appropriate to ask to assess barriers and motivators to practicing the desired behaviour. It is the role of the facilitator to ensure questioning does not feel like an interrogation and gauge the order in which they should be asked which create a natural, and logical flow to the conversation. Facilitators are encouraged to lay out their selected questions in an order which they feel would be most natural and logical, and should remain flexible to adapting the order as responses when it makes sense to do so e.g. if certain questions would seem to be logical follow up questions to maintain the natural progression of the discussion.
- It is essential facilitators do not solely follow a prescriptive line of pre-prepared questions, and are properly skilled to facilitate these discussions and ask follow up questions as needed to more deeply probe community members’ responses to gain clarity on the true nature of the barriers and motivators to the adoption of the desired target behaviour.
- Not all domains and questions may be relevant to the target behaviour and context in which you are working. Adapt and create additional questions as needed to explore the general behavioural domains above as needed for the specific target behaviour. The questions you decide to ask/determine to be relevant to understanding what needs to change to support adoption of the target behaviour, and how you ask them, will depend on the desired target behaviour, who is being targeted to adopt it, your understanding of the local context and what is appropriate to ask and how best to frame the questions, as well as the nature of the welfare issue and characteristics of the target animal (e.g. species, age, size, use, activity level, and reproductive and health status)..
- As there may be many identified domains of behaviour and associated questions to explore to understand barriers and motivators to behaviour change, you may need to schedule more than one session with targeted respondents before fully understanding the COM-B barriers and motivators to change.
- While these questions are organized in terms of COM-B drivers and their associated theoretical domains, responses to questions associated with a particular driver/domain will often provide information relevant to other or multiple COM-B sub-components. It is the responsibility of the facilitator to assess the nature of responses and their intended meaning within a given context, and categorize it in accordance with the appropriate COM-B driver to them as you feel appropriate. For this reason,
- It is recommended to use an audio recording device to record responses with the consent of participants, or to take detailed notes of discussions to enable you to refer to them for better understanding of participants’ insights.
- Recording conversations enables you to focus on asking open ended questions, listening, and exploring different topics without having capture detailed responses in writing. Listening back to recordings helps ensure critical information is not missed from interviews and allows you take your time when organizing/coding responses in terms of their relevance to different COM-B subcomponents.
- Consider creating a table or document template to help organize responses in terms of the six COM-B drivers pertinent barriers and motivators to change related to which can be used to identify what needs to change, and related intervention functions and behaviour change techniques using the Behaviour Change Wheel during behaviour change project planning.
- When time and resources are constrained for conducting a COM-B diagnosis with communities, consider conducting the COM-B diagnosis with a few representative key informants or focus groups representative of target groups. Project teams can also use these questions to help ensure they have thought through the potential barriers to change when planning behaviour change interventions; however it always recommended that their assumptions be checked and any gaps in their knowledge explored in discussion with communities.
- It is recommended to explore barriers and motivators to adoption of a desired behaviour through discussion with community members/groups targeted to adopt the desired behaviour, as well as with other key stakeholders with knowledge and experience of community members and their potential barriers and motivators to change e.g. service providers, change agents, spouses etc. This triangulation of data can be helpful to gaining a full understanding of the barriers to change, which may not necessarily become apparent from responses of only one group of people/perspective.
- Depending on who is targeted to adopt a desired behaviour, consider conducting a COM-B diagnosis separately with different representative groups to ensure you understand potential differences in their perceived barriers to change e.g. men, women, urban vs. rural community members, marginalized groups. This is important because barriers to change may differ depending on the intersecting social characteristics and realities different groups face, and may require different interventions and behaviour change techniques be used to support different groups in adopting the same target behaviour.
- While the example questions provided in this guide can be used to conduct a COM-B diagnosis, barriers and motivators to change informing COM-B diagnosis can also be identified through insights gathered through use of other participatory tools or community engagement activities.
- The Human Behaviour Change Learning Module is a recommended reading supporting use of this resource.