Which criterion should be used to select appropriate target behaviors for an intervention?

• A. Time of day convenience
• B. Impact on health, modifiability, measurability, feasibility
• C. Popularity among practitioners
• D. Cost only

Answer: (B)

Selecting target behaviors for an intervention should be guided by criteria that ensure changes are meaningful, achievable, and measurable. The best set includes impact on health, modifiability, measurability, and feasibility. Impact on health ensures the behavior change will produce substantive benefits or risk reduction. Modifiability matters because you want behaviors that can realistically be altered with the strategies you have. Measurability is essential so you can track progress and determine if the intervention is working. Feasibility covers whether the target behavior can be addressed given practical constraints like time, resources, and setting. For example, choosing to reduce daily sugary drink intake is health-relevant, can be changed with available counseling and environmental supports, can be measured with daily logs, and is feasible in many settings. In contrast, prioritizing time-of-day convenience focuses on when to act rather than whether the target is meaningful or doable; choosing based on popularity among practitioners lacks patient-centered evidence; and selecting by cost alone ignores effectiveness and practicality.