Using CEOS theory to inform the development of behaviour change implementation and maintenance initiatives for people with multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) Vol. 42; no. 9; pp. 7433 - 7447
• Main Authors: Grech, L. B., Borland, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-03-2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Health aspects; Human acts; Human behavior; Life style; Multiple sclerosis; Psychological aspects; Psychological research; Psychology; Social Sciences; Australia; Intervention; Modification; Multiple sclerosis; Behaviour theory; Maintenance; Behaviour change
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02095-7

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that presents with a range of physical and emotional challenges, that exacerbate difficulties in initiating and maintaining behaviour changes. Sustainable behaviour change is important for people with MS because of the relationship with modifiable healthy lifestyle factors, such as healthy diet, regular exercise and smoking cessation, and improved disease outcomes and quality of life. Research assessing theoretically based behaviour change interventions in MS has highlighted gaps with their application, particularly in addressing emotional and coping resource challenges. CEOS theory is a behaviour change theory, developed to help understand hard to maintain behaviour change, and useful to guide interventions aimed at sustainable behaviour change. It is a dual processing theory that considers top-down executive and bottom-up operational processes, including the influence of affective processes, within the context of personal and environmental resources and challenges. We present CEOS theory to guide development of sustainable behaviour change interventions for people with MS, supported by case study examples of its application. We encourage its use in the development of behaviour change interventions, given it provides a holistic framework, which considers the additional challenges of behaviour change faced by people with MS and other complex medical conditions.