Prof Barbara Mullen (Curtin University)

Title: Beyond individual behaviour change: Can we use the behaviour change techniques successful in changing health behaviour to change behaviour in health professional led interventions?

Abstract:

Drawing on her research over the past 25 years Professor Mullan will explore behaviour change in health psychology. Starting with an overview of using theory to predict behaviour, she will demonstrate how advances in theory allowed for the successful development of interventions to change behaviour at an individual level. Using research across a range of behaviours, including physical activity, nutrition, adherence, sleep, alcohol consumption, in diverse populations (e.g. people with eating disorders, diabetes, stroke, and obesity) and conditions (e.g. cancer, autoimmune conditions) she will demonstrate a range of interventions where behaviour was successfully changed (and not so successfully). The final section will explore how these individual-level techniques can be adapted for use by health professionals—nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and pharmacists, answering the question of whether we shift from isolated success stories to widespread, sustainable behaviour change across entire populations? Professor Mullan’s work is especially relevant in today’s healthcare landscape, where chronic illness and lifestyle-related conditions are on the rise. Her approach blends rigorous theory with practical application, making her insights valuable for both researchers and health care professionals.

Bio:

Professor Mullan is a Professor of Health Psychology, in the School of Population Health at Curtin University. Professor Mullan completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at University College Dublin, where she then completed her Masters degree. She completed her PhD in health psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She became a Registered Health Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council UK in 2007. She has worked in health psychology for more than 25 years including at the University of Birmingham, the University of Sydney, and Curtin University. Her PhD was the first to use psychological theory to predict safe food handling behaviour in consumers and she has remained a world leader in this important research area ever since. This work has had important implications for theory, practice and policy. With her team she has pioneered using theory and behaviour change techniques in interventions to change behaviour, across a range of behaviours. Her recent research has used these interventions in large population scale interventions to change behaviour in interventions using health professionals.