Requirements for Wellness Behavior Change Paper:
Select a target behavior for your paper. If you choose something that you would truly like to change about your behavior, the project will be more meaningful. Choose something that is realistic and can be completed or partially completed within a 15-week time period. The behavior can be from any chapter in the text and not necessarily one we have already covered.
You may use Microsoft Word or other similar Word Processing software to complete the paper. The paper is to be a minimum of four pages typed, double-spaced, 12 point font. You are to also include a cover sheet with the title, your name, course number and the date. The last page should be a works cited page with at least four sources. One source can be your textbook.
The Wellness Philosophy Paper includes four sections and should be organized by the following: (Please label each section.)
-The first section should specify what your target behavior is and why it is important to you. This part is personal. Explain your interest in this behavior change and how it will affect your wellness. It may be that you are genetically disposed to something as obesity or cardiovascular disease or it may involve a lifestyle behavior that you feel is interfering with your overall wellness. This should be at least one page. Be sure you thoroughly explain your choice.
-The second section should present the new information you have gathered about the subject. You will need to include information about the prevalence of your particular disease or behavior. You can use the Internet or any documentary source after you have used the information learned in your book/course. Do not list commonly known material, only information that is new and helpful to you in your pursuit of changing a behavior. Be sure to reference any information not found in your text.
-The third section should present new information you have gathered about the informing factors of how this particular disease or behavior affects people within a family unit, how it impacts the local community, our country and the whole world. Include economic factors, and any political dynamics as well. You should also discuss how cultural and language differences could impact the success or failure of working to prevent disease or in trying to change a behavior. Be sure to reference any information not found in your text.
-The fourth section is an outline of the behavior change and plan.
1. Target behavior (not several, but one goal); improving your health is too general; increasing the amount of carrots in your diet is too narrow.
2. What will you do to build motivation for this behavior change? Explain the things that you need to do to prepare yourself.
3. Strategies (at least 5) to help achieve the goal (very specific). Try to be innovative and create strategies that will be effective for you (seven ways/methods you will implement to reach your goal). For example, keeping a journal of your progress or log of activities regarding your target behavior is a creative strategy.
4. Give a time line or dates for the action (start date, action dates, and dates for short term goals, closing date).
5. Give specific names (at least two)of those who will give support (not just names, but who they are and exactly how they will assist you).
6. Identify the rewards you have chosen for achieving short term goals.
7. List, at least 3, potential barriers to achieving the goal.
8. Contingency plan if you fail to reach your behavior.