Maintaining motivation using audio review

Abstract

Rates of initial health behavior change have not consistently translated into similar rates of behavioral maintenance. Of those who achieve short‐term change, most successfully treated individuals revert back to their old high‐risk behaviors soon after treatment. While motivation for change remains a salient issue throughout the behavior change process, maintenance interventions have neglected to focus on the variability of motivation directly. This article proposes that an audio playback procedure that captures motivational decision‐making themes at their highest, most emotionally laden point and replays that material at later dates, may be an effective way to maintain motivation. Highlighted is the role of motivation in maintaining behavior change, the previous literature on audio and video feedback, and the roles of memory systems, cognitive dysfunction, recall bias, cognitive dissonance, change talk, emotional reprocessing and contextual learning on motivation. Special attention will be paid to addictive disorders because of the literature base in this area.

• Motivation
• behavioral maintenance
• addiction
• audiotape review