IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/tec/journl/v21y2021i1p554-569.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Theory of Change in Digital Behavior Change Interventions (Dbcis) And Community-Based Change Initiatives - A General Framework

Author

Listed:
  • Dana Rad

    (Faculty of Educational Sciences, Psychology and Social Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Center of Research Development and Innovation in Psychology)

  • Gavril Rad

    (Faculty of Educational Sciences, Psychology and Social Sciences, Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Center of Research Development and Innovation in Psychology)

Abstract

A theory of change is a purposeful model of how an initiative, such as a policy, a strategy, a program, a project or an intervention contributes through a chain of early and intermediate outcomes to the intended result. Theories of change help navigate the complexity of social change. Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) and Community-based change initiatives represent complex designable systems. The goal of the DCBI is to provide an effective theoretical framework for behavioral change to practitioners that offer different forms of psychological intervention based on scientifically validated practices. Applying theory of change when designing digital individual and community interventions for optimizing digital wellbeing helps practitioners to achieve results in practice, as this strategic approach is generally considered an evidence-based framework. Theory of change is useful to guide the strategic thinking and action, as most of DCBI/ Community-based change initiatives research endeavors are active in a complex situation, often unplanned events happening. Conclusions and implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dana Rad & Gavril Rad, 2021. "Theory of Change in Digital Behavior Change Interventions (Dbcis) And Community-Based Change Initiatives - A General Framework," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 21(1), pages 554-569, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:tec:journl:v:21:y:2021:i:1:p:554-569
    DOI: 10.47577/tssj.v21i1.3950
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/3950/1429
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/3950
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.47577/tssj.v21i1.3950?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Archibald, Thomas & Sharrock, Guy & Buckley, Jane & Cook, Natalie, 2016. "Assumptions, conjectures, and other miracles: The application of evaluative thinking to theory of change models in community development," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 119-127.
    2. Dana Rad & Edgar Demeter, 2020. "A Moderated Mediation Effect of Online Time Spent on Internet Content Awareness, Perceived Online Hate Speech and Helping Attitudes Disposal of Bystanders," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 11(2Sup1), pages 107-124, September.
    3. Dana Rad & Edgar Demeter, 2019. "Youth Sustainable Digital Wellbeing," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 10(4), pages 104-115, December.
    4. Dana Timar Rad & Tiberiu Dughi & Alina Roman & Sonia Ignat, 2019. "Perspectives of Consent Silence in Cyberbullying," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 10(2), pages 57-73, June.
    5. Rick Davies, 2018. "Representing theories of change: technical challenges with evaluation consequences," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 438-461, October.
    6. Edward T. Jackson, 2013. "Interrogating the theory of change: evaluating impact investing where it matters most," Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 95-110, April.
    7. Dana Rad & Tiberiu Dughi & Edgar Demeter & rad.gabi@yahoo.com, 2019. "The Dynamics of the Relationship between Humor and Benevolence as Values," Revista romaneasca pentru educatie multidimensionala - Journal for Multidimensional Education, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 11(3), pages 201-212, September.
    8. Lambe, Fiona & Ran, Ylva & Jürisoo, Marie & Holmlid, Stefan & Muhoza, Cassilde & Johnson, Oliver & Osborne, Matthew, 2020. "Embracing complexity: A transdisciplinary conceptual framework for understanding behavior change in the context of development-focused interventions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    9. Dana Rad & Valentina Balas & Ramona Lile & Edgar Demeter & Tiberiu Dughi & Gavril Rad, 2020. "Statistical Properties of a New Social Media Context Awareness Scale (SMCA)—A Preliminary Investigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Holly Blake & Benjamin Vaughan & Craig Bartle & Jo Yarker & Fehmidah Munir & Steven Marwaha & Guy Daly & Sean Russell & Caroline Meyer & Juliet Hassard & Louise Thomson, 2022. "Managing Minds at Work: Development of a Digital Line Manager Training Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dana Rad & Gavril Rad, 2021. "Theory of Change and agile community digital psychological interventions," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 20(1), pages 632-642, June.
    2. Syrus M. Islam, 2022. "Impact investing in social sector organisations: a systematic review and research agenda," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(1), pages 709-737, March.
    3. Benjamin S. Thompson, 2023. "Impact investing in biodiversity conservation with bonds: An analysis of financial and environmental risk," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 353-368, January.
    4. Dana Rad & Edgar Demeter, 2020. "A Moderated Mediation Effect of Online Time Spent on Internet Content Awareness, Perceived Online Hate Speech and Helping Attitudes Disposal of Bystanders," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 11(2Sup1), pages 107-124, September.
    5. Irene Bengo & Leonardo Boni & Alessandro Sancino, 2022. "EU financial regulations and social impact measurement practices: A comprehensive framework on finance for sustainable development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 809-819, July.
    6. Sarah Chapman & Adiilah Boodhoo & Carren Duffy & Suki Goodman & Maria Michalopoulou, 2023. "Theory of Change in Complex Research for Development Programmes: Challenges and Solutions from the Global Challenges Research Fund," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(2), pages 298-322, April.
    7. Thornton, PK & Schuetz, T & Förch, W & Cramer, L & Abreu, D & Vermeulen, S & Campbell, BM, 2017. "Responding to global change: A theory of change approach to making agricultural research for development outcome-based," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 145-153.
    8. Nachyła, Pola & Justo, Rachida, 2024. "How do impact investors leverage non-financial strategies to create value? An impact-oriented value framework," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    9. Jeong, Dayun & Ko, Eunju & Taylor, Charles R., 2023. "Don't touch the Merchandise! Factors associated with consumer preference for contact free shopping," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. McConnell, Jesse, 2019. "Adoption for adaptation: A theory-based approach for monitoring a complex policy initiative," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 214-223.
    11. Jessica Aschari-Lincoln & Claus D. Jacobs, 2018. "Enabling Effective Social Impact: Towards a Model for Impact Scaling Agreements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Clarkin John E. & L. Cangioni Carole, 2016. "Impact Investing: A Primer and Review of the Literature," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 135-173, April.
    13. Maria Carolina Rezende de Carvalho Ferreira & Vinicius Amorim Sobreiro & Herbert Kimura & Flavio Luiz de Moraes Barboza, 2016. "A systematic review of literature about finance and sustainability," Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(2), pages 112-147, April.
    14. Nielsen, Steffen Bohni & Lemire, Sebastian & Bourgeois, Isabelle & Fierro, Leslie A., 2023. "Mapping the evaluation capacity building landscape: A bibliometric analysis of scholarly communities and themes," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. Marina Apgar & Mieke Snijder & Grace Lyn Higdon & Sylvia Szabo, 2023. "Evaluating Research for Development: Innovation to Navigate Complexity," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(2), pages 241-259, April.
    16. Osborne, Matthew & Lambe, Fiona & Ran, Ylva & Dehmel, Naira & Tabacco, Giovanni Alberto & Balungira, Joshua & Pérez-Viana, Borja & Widmark, Erik & Holmlid, Stefan & Verschoor, Arjan, 2022. "Designing development interventions: The application of service design and discrete choice experiments in complex settings," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    17. Brandstetter Lisa & Lehner Othmar M., 2015. "Opening the Market for Impact Investments: The Need for Adapted Portfolio Tools," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 5(2), pages 87-107, April.
    18. Geoffrey M. Kistruck & Patrick Shulist, 2021. "Linking Management Theory with Poverty Alleviation Efforts Through Market Orchestration," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(2), pages 423-446, October.
    19. Truzaar Dordi & Phoebe Stephens & Sean Geobey & Olaf Weber, 2024. "New bottle or new label? Distinguishing impact investing from responsible and ethical investing," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(1), pages 309-330, March.
    20. Rosella Carè & Stella Carè & Nathalie Lévy & Rabia Fatima, 2023. "Missing finance in social impact bond research? A bibliometric overview between past and future research," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2101-2120, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Theory of Change; Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs); Community-based change initiatives; Digital Wellbeing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:tec:journl:v:21:y:2021:i:1:p:554-569. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tasente Tanase (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.