Table 1 BCTs in the Walk with me Intervention

Goal setting (behaviour)

Peer mentors will set or agree on a goal defined in terms of the behaviour to be achieved

Action planning

Peer mentors will prompt detailed planning of performance of the behaviour by including specific reference to include (at least one of) context, frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity. Context may be environmental (physical or social) or internal (physical, emotional or cognitive)

Problem-solving

Peer mentors will analyse or prompt the person to analyse factors influencing the behaviour and generate or select strategies that include overcoming barriers and/or increasing facilitators

Review behaviour goals

The peer mentor will review behaviour goal(s) jointly with the person and consider modifying goal(s) or behaviour change strategy in light of achievement

Behavioural contract

Peer mentors will create a written specification of the behaviour to be performed, agreed on by the person and witnessed by another

Self-monitoring of behaviour

Peer mentors will distribute pedometers and step diaries to the people that they are mentoring so that they may monitor and record their physical activity behaviour(s) as part of the intervention

Social support (practical)

Peer mentors will advise on, arrange or provide practical help for the performance of the behaviour

Social support (emotional)

Peer mentors will advise on, arrange or provide emotional social support for the performance of the behaviour

Instruction on how to perform the behaviour

Peer mentors will advise or agree on how to perform the behaviour

Information about health consequences

The peer mentor will provide information (e.g. written, verbal, visual) about health, consequences of performing the behaviour

Information about social and environmental consequences

The peer mentor will provide information (e.g. written, verbal, visual) about social and environmental consequences of performing the behaviour

Demonstration of the behaviour

Peer mentors will provide an observable sample of the performance of the behaviour

Behavioural rehearsal and practice

Peer mentors will prompt practice or rehearsal of the performance of the behaviour one or more times in a context or at a time when the performance may not be necessary, in order to increase habit and skill

Habit formation

Peer mentors will prompt rehearsal and repetition of the behaviour in the same context repeatedly so that the context elicits the behaviour

Graded tasks

Peer mentors will set easy-to-perform tasks, making them increasingly difficult, but achievable, until behaviour is performed

Adding objects to the environment

The provision of pedometers will add objects to the environment in order to facilitate performance of the behaviour

Restructuring of the social environment

Peer mentors will change or advise to change the social environment in order to facilitate performance of the behaviour