Reliability of Identification of Behavior Change Techniques in Intervention Descriptions.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this paper is to assess the frequency of identification as well as the inter-coder and test-retest reliability of identification of behavior change techniques (BCTs) in written intervention descriptions.


METHODS
Forty trained coders applied the "Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy version 1" (BCTTv1) to 40 intervention descriptions published in protocols and repeated this 1 month later.


RESULTS
Eighty of 93 defined BCTs were identified by at least one trained coder, and 22 BCTs were identified in 16 (40 %) or more of 40 descriptions. Good inter-coder reliability was observed across 80 BCTs identified in the protocols: 66 (80 %) achieved mean prevalence and bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK) scores of 0.70 or greater, and 59 (74 %) achieved mean scores of 0.80 or greater. There was good within-coder agreement between baseline and 1 month, demonstrating good test-retest reliability.


CONCLUSIONS
BCTTv1 can be used by trained coders to identify BCTs in intervention descriptions reliably. However, some frequently occurring BCT definitions require further clarification.
Psychology Applied to Health Group, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Exeter, EX1 2 LU, UK. C.Abraham@exeter.ac.uk.
Charles
C
Abraham
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK.
Caroline E
CE
Wood
Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7HB, UK.|Institute of Applied Health Sciences, College of Life Science and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, 2nd Floor, Health Sciences Building, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
Marie
M
Johnston
School of Health Sciences, City University London, Myddelton Street Building, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
Jill
J
Francis
Primary Care Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK.
Wendy
W
Hardeman
Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating Centre, Social Science Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education, London, UK.
Michelle
M
Richardson
Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating Centre, Social Science Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education, London, UK.
Susan
S
Michie
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
Behavior change; Behavior change technique; Inter-coder reliability; Intervention; Taxonomy; Test–retest reliability