The paper begins with a general discussion of the role we understand an individual’s
motivation and confidence plays in their ability to change behaviour and reviews some of
the main theories in the psychological literature from which these ideas derive. The paper
then attempts to identify the effectiveness of interventions that are designed to enhance
motivation and increase confidence. It summarises the findings of a number of reviews of
intervention studies to tackle smoking, poor diet and low levels of physical activity. Finally,
the paper concludes with a discussion of the main findings and of some of the implications
for future research, policy and practice.