Behaviour change can be a complex process which is influenced by psychological, social, and environmental factors. Given this complexity, how can we best develop behavioural or behaviour change interventions that are effective but can also be implemented in clinical practice? This talk will explore the development and testing of these interventions, emphasising key considerations and methodologies. Behavioural interventions require tailoring to specific populations and contexts, making them both effective and sustainable. The development process involves utilising various behaviour change theories and models along with innovative research designs, which will be briefly reviewed during this talk. This talk will also review the importance of engaging all interested and affected partners and knowledge users, including participants, community members, and policymakers, which are crucial for ensuring the intervention is relevant, acceptable, and feasible. By understanding and addressing the complexities of behavioural interventions, researchers and clinicians who attend this talk will be able to understand the basics in how to effectively create implementable and sustainable solutions for behaviour change.
Dr. Bacon is a behavioural scientist, who is interested in understanding why people do what they do and then developing tailored interventions to help positively change high-risk behaviours. These interventions range from targeting individuals through to policies. Most of this work has focused on health behaviours and has targeted health-related outcomes. The work that he does is multidisciplinary and intersectoral, requiring the engagement of a number of different collaborators and partners, and utilises a variety of mixed methodologies. Currently, Dr. Bacon is the FRQS co-Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health for Health Behaviour Change and is the former CIHR SPOR Chair in Innovative, Patient-Oriented, Behavioural Clinical Trials. He is also a fellow of the Obesity Society, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, and the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research. In addition to Concordia, Dr. Bacon is co-director of the Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre, a researcher at the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS-NIM), and co-leads the International Behavioural Trials Network (www.IBTNetwork.org) and the CIHR funded Canadian Behavioural Interventions and Trials Network (www.cbitn.ca).