| Course | HW350 Principles of Health Coaching |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 3 |
| Paper type | Behavior change models comparison |
| Length | About 1,130 words, 7 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Health and Wellness |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HW350 Unit 3
Ready to Walk, Not Ready to Give Up the Afternoon Snack: A Unit 3 Comparison of Three Behavior Change Models for One Coaching Client
[Student Name]
Purdue University Global
HW350: Principles of Health Coaching
Unit 3 Behavior Change Models Comparison
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
The client and coaching details are composite; the models and sources cited are real.
Why the Choice of Model Matters
A behavior change model is a working explanation of why people change and what helps them. For a coach, the model shapes the questions asked in each session, the goals suggested and how setbacks are understood. A model that does not fit the client leads to sessions that push where the client is not ready, or focus on information when information is not the problem. The course asks coaches to justify their choice for a particular client, which means testing each model against her.
The Transtheoretical Model
The transtheoretical model, developed from studies of how people quit smoking on their own, sees change unfolding in a sequence, from not thinking about it at all through to keeping it up, with different processes helping at different stages (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983).
Applied to Gloria. She is in different stages for different behaviors. For walking, she is preparing: she has bought new shoes, walked three times in the past two weeks and says she will start properly next week. For afternoon snacking, she is contemplating at most: she knows it has increased since retirement but says it is "the only treat in a long afternoon," and she is not ready to plan a change.
What it explains. Why one behavior is ready to move and another is not, and why pushing the snacking now would likely backfire.
What it misses. It describes where she is but says less about why her motivation is high for one behavior and low for another, or what a coach can do to make the snacking change feel worth it.
A Threat-Based Model
Rosenstock's model has a person weigh how likely and how serious a threat feels, whether acting would help, what stands in the way and what nudges them to start (Rosenstock, 1974).
Applied to Gloria. Her sense of susceptibility is high, because her sister developed diabetes at 60. She sees medication as a serious consequence. She believes walking helps, because she felt healthier when she walked her route. Her barriers are her right knee, Omaha winters and the loss of the routine that work used to give her. Her sister's diagnosis was the cue that brought her to the clinic.
What it explains. Why she came to coaching and why walking feels worth trying.
What it misses. The model treats behavior as a calculation about threats. It says little about enjoyment, identity or the emotional meaning of an afternoon snack in a quiet house, and it does not explain how to sustain change once the fear fades.
Fear of her sister's medication brought Gloria to coaching; it will not keep her walking in February.
A Needs-Based Model
In self-determination theory, lasting motivation grows when a person feels that the choice is theirs, that they are capable of it and that it ties them to people they care about. It distinguishes motivation that comes from within, or from values a person has made their own, from motivation driven by pressure or reward (Ryan & Deci, 2000).
Applied to Gloria. Autonomy is her strength and her vulnerability. Retirement gave her complete control of her time, but also removed the structure that made walking automatic. Competence is low: her confidence is 4 out of 10, partly because of her knee. Relatedness is rich but unused for health: she has a husband, grandchildren and a church choir, and none is part of her walking.
What it explains. Why her motivation needs to come from her own reasons, energy, independence and being active with her grandchildren, rather than from fear. Why small successes matter: they build competence. Why involving people she cares about could sustain the change.
What it misses. It offers less guidance on timing, on which behavior to work on first and how fast.
Comparing the Three
The transtheoretical model is best at pacing: it tells the coach to work on walking now and to explore, not push, the snacking. The health belief model is best at explaining why she arrived and what barriers to plan around. Self-determination theory is best at explaining what will keep her going after the fear of medication fades, and it fits coaching's core stance of supporting the client's own choices. Matthews et al. (2024) make a similar case from lifestyle medicine: durable change rests on wanting it, knowing how and having people behind you, which maps closely onto the three needs.
The Choice and Its Justification
I will use self-determination theory as the stance for every session: asking about her own reasons, letting her choose goals, building competence through small wins and drawing in her relationships. I will use the transtheoretical model to pace each behavior separately: action planning for walking now, exploration of snacking without pressure. I will keep the health belief model's barriers, the knee, winter and lost routine, as the agenda for problem solving.
How the Choice Will Show in Sessions
In session three, rather than suggesting a walking target, I will ask what amount of walking would feel like a success this week, and whether anyone might enjoy joining her. If she mentions snacking, I will ask what the afternoon snack gives her, without proposing a change, and reflect what she says. If her confidence rises, I will ask what made the difference, so she can see her own competence growing.
What Gloria Thought
I described the three ideas to Gloria in plain words and asked which sounded like her. She laughed at the threat-based one: "That's why I came, but it's not why I'll stay." She recognized herself in the stages, saying she was "halfway out the door" on walking and "not even looking at the door" on snacks. And she said the needs-based one sounded like her old job, where she decided her own pace on the route, knew she was good at it and knew everyone on it.
Limits
All three models simplify. People move between stages in both directions, motives mix and relationships can hinder as well as help. The models are tools for listening, not boxes to place Gloria in.
Conclusion
Each model explains part of Gloria's situation. The health belief model explains why she came, the transtheoretical model explains why she is ready to walk but not to change her snacking and self-determination theory explains what will keep her going once fear fades. Using self-determination theory as the stance and the transtheoretical model for pacing gives coaching both a direction and a tempo suited to her.
References
Matthews, J. A., Matthews, S., Faries, M. D., & Wolever, R. Q. (2024). Supporting sustainable health behavior change: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, 8(3), 263-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2023.10.002
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390-395. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.51.3.390
Rosenstock, I. M. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health Education Monographs, 2(4), 328-335. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019817400200403
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
HW350 Unit 3 instructions, in plain terms
In Unit 3, you compare two or three behavior change models and justify which fits one client. For each model, sketch the core idea, run the client through it and note what it accounts for and where it falls short. Instructors look for testing rather than summary, so the comparison should show the client's actual stage, beliefs, motives and barriers through each lens. A justified choice, often a combination with distinct roles, is the expected conclusion. Many prompts also ask how the chosen model will show up in sessions, which turns theory into practice. Including the client's own reaction to the ideas, where possible, strengthens the fit judgment. Theory sources should be the original or authoritative ones rather than textbook summaries.
How this HW350 Unit 3 example is built
The paper opens by explaining why the model choice shapes every session. The stages model is applied behavior by behavior, showing walking in preparation and snacking in contemplation. The threat-based model is applied to her sister's diagnosis and her barriers, with a highlighted line that fear brought her in but will not keep her walking in February. The needs-based model is applied to the autonomy retirement gave her, her low confidence and her unused relationships. A comparison section assigns each model the job it does best, with Matthews and colleagues linking sustained change to similar elements. Her own reaction to the three ideas follows. The justification, specific session questions, and the models' limits end it.
Where the points sit in the HW350 Unit 3 rubric
Model comparisons earn most of their credit through application and justification. Each model should be described accurately and briefly, then tested against the client's real situation. Graders reward identifying what each model misses, not only what it explains. A justified choice with clear roles for each model shows synthesis. Translating the choice into specific session questions demonstrates practical understanding. Using the client's own view adds credibility. Limits of the models should be acknowledged. Clear headings for each model aid the reader. Four sources, the three models' authors and the paper on sustained change, belong in APA 7.
Common HW350 Unit 3 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Comparisons often define three models at length and then choose one with a single sentence of reasoning. Another frequent weakness is placing the client in one stage for everything, when readiness usually differs by behavior. Some writers describe self-determination theory or the stages model in textbook language that never touches the client. Choosing a model because it is popular, rather than because it fits, loses points. Papers that stop at the choice, without showing how sessions will change, miss the practical purpose. Before writing, list your client's behaviors and her readiness for each, then see which model explains the differences. Share your client and the models assigned, and the comparison can be drafted around her.
Get an HW350 Unit 3 example written to your instructions
Send the client, the models and the instructions with the rubric. A custom comparison applies each model and justifies the choice. The first is free, back within 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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HW350 Unit 3 questions, answered
Which models are usually compared?
Often the transtheoretical model, self-determination theory, the health belief model and social cognitive theory.
Can I combine models?
Yes, if you explain what each adds.
How do I justify a choice?
By showing which model best explains this client's stage, motives and barriers.
Where can I find a free HW350 Unit 3 sample paper?
The complete HW350 Unit 3 behavior change models comparison is published on this page, testing three models against one newly retired coaching client.
Which model does the HW350 Unit 3 sample choose?
Self-determination theory as the coaching stance, the stages model to pace walking and snacking separately and the health belief model's barriers as the problem-solving agenda.