Application of Behavior Change Theory to the Development

Table 10
Kaestner & Speight, 1975: Last Chance Warning Letter
32
BEHAVIOR CHANGE THEORY
Design Characteristics Score General stage Score Early stage Score Late stage Score
Participation rate 70% 4 Systematic feedback 3 Consciousness raising 2 Stimulus control 0
No-treatment control 0 Personal
responsibility
Random assignment 4 Direct advice 0 Environmental
reevaluation
Similar subject
characteristics
Blinded to random
schedule
Temporality 4 Strengthen selfefficacy
0 Dramatic relief 2 Helping relationships 0
0 Counter conditioning 0
0 Choice of strategy 0 Social liberation 0 Contingency
management
0 Express empathy 3 Self reevaluation 0 Self liberation 0
0
Total 12 6 4 0
Sherman and Ratz (1979)
RATINGS:
Design Quality: 12/24
Probation by Mail Letter: 11/33
Notice of Hearing Letter: 11/33
This study was conducted to compare the traffic safety effects of probation-by-mail with
those of the Department’s individual hearing intervention. The subjects were 13,899
drivers whose record of convictions approached the California definition of a negligent
operator, making them eligible for an individual hearing. All drivers who met the
selection criteria between June 1977 and April 1978 were included. However, because
those who drove in excess of 25,000 miles per year were excluded from the study, very
few subjects held class 1 licenses. Finally, 6,148 drivers (46%) considered “high risk”
were ineligible for the probation-by-mail treatment, and thus were omitted from the
study. The remaining drivers were assigned either to the probation-by-mail (n = 3,883)
or individual hearing (n = 3,868) groups through a functionally random process
utilizing the terminal digit of their drivers’ license numbers.
The probation-by-mail letter appeared to be more aggressive than the individual
hearing letter due to the use of capital letters to describe the grounds for the action and
conditions of probation. In addition, it is very bureaucratic and demanding. On the
other hand, the individual hearing letter is simply advisory, even though the potential
consequences are expressed in a direct fashion.
Because both letters (Appendices B-16 & B-17) contained identical components of the
TTM, only the evaluation of the probation by mail letter is presented below in Table 11.
Of the six elements common to any change strategy, the letters provided systematic
0