| Course | CHS 340 Health Behavior Theory |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 2 |
| Paper type | Theory expert brief |
| Length | About 357 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Health Sciences |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for CHS 340 Module 2
Theory Expert Brief: The Health Belief Model and Maria's Prediabetes
Student Name
BS in Health Sciences, Arizona State University
CHS 340: Health Behavior Theory
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Theory Expert Brief: The Health Belief Model and Maria's Prediabetes
Vignette (Illustrative)
Maria, 52, works in a Phoenix school cafeteria. At her last checkup her A1C was 6.1%, in the prediabetes range. Her doctor referred her to a twelve-month lifestyle program run at a Phoenix community center. Maria says diabetes "runs in the family, so it will happen anyway," worries about missing evening shifts and has not called to enroll.
1. What is the central idea of the Health Belief Model?
A person moves to prevent an illness once they judge themselves personally at risk, judge the illness grave, trust a step to lower that risk and find its gains larger than its costs; cues to action and confidence in one's ability to act trigger the change (Rosenstock, 1974).
2. Which key constructs are illustrated in the vignette?
| Construct | Evidence in the vignette |
|---|---|
| Perceived susceptibility | High: "it runs in the family" |
| Perceived severity | Unclear; she has watched relatives with diabetes but does not describe it as serious |
| Perceived benefits | Low: she believes diabetes "will happen anyway" |
| Perceived barriers | Evening shifts and schedule conflicts |
| Cues to action | The A1C result and the doctor's referral |
| Self-efficacy | Not stated; worth asking about |
3. How does the theory explain, or not explain, the behavior?
The model explains Maria's inaction well: she feels susceptible but sees little benefit, because she believes diabetes is inevitable, and her barriers are concrete. That fatalism is exactly what the model predicts will block action, even though lifestyle change cut new type 2 diabetes cases by 58% in a major trial (Knowler et al., 2002). The model does not explain why her beliefs formed, how her family and workplace shape them or what structural barriers, such as program schedules, she faces.
4. What unique perspective does this theory contribute?
The Health Belief Model points the group to Maria's beliefs about benefit. Correcting the idea that diabetes is inevitable, for example by sharing that most people in the trial's lifestyle group avoided diabetes, is a clear, testable message. Other levels of the Social Ecological Model will be needed to address her schedule and environment (McLeroy et al., 1988).
References
Knowler, W. C., Barrett-Connor, E., Fowler, S. E., Hamman, R. F., Lachin, J. M., Walker, E. A., & Nathan, D. M. (2002). Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. New England Journal of Medicine, 346(6), 393-403. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa012512
McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., & Glanz, K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Quarterly, 15(4), 351-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818801500401
Rosenstock, I. M. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health Education Monographs, 2(4), 328-335. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019817400200403
CHS 340 Module 2 instructions, in plain terms
The Module 2 Theory Expert Brief in CHS 340 is worth 36 points and is due on Sunday of the module week, before the group assignment. Each student is assigned one individual-level theory from the module and becomes the group's expert on it. In one page, answer the four questions the syllabus sets: the central idea of your theory, the key constructs illustrated in the vignette, how your theory explains or fails to explain the health-related behavior and the unique perspective it contributes. Submit the brief in Canvas and email it to your group members on time, since the group's five-slide Theory Integration Presentation depends on every brief. Generative AI is not permitted anywhere in this course, per the syllabus.
How the CHS 340 Module 2 example is put together
The sample restates the vignette briefly so the brief stands alone, then answers each of the four questions under its own numbered heading. A table maps each construct to a line of evidence from the vignette, including a construct marked unclear. The third answer weighs what the theory explains against what it misses, using trial evidence to show why Maria's belief matters, and the fourth names the theory's distinct contribution and points to other ecological levels. Because the brief is shared with group members who studied other theories, it restates the vignette briefly so it can be read on its own, and it ends by pointing to the levels other members will cover.
Reading the CHS 340 Module 2 grading rubric
Each brief is worth 36 points. Readers check that all four questions are answered, that the central idea is stated accurately, that constructs are tied to specific details in the vignette, that the student is honest about the theory's limits and that the unique contribution is clear. Marks drop when constructs are listed without vignette evidence, when the theory is said to explain everything, when the brief runs past one page or arrives late, which carries escalating deductions across the course. Graders also notice whether the student uses the theory's own vocabulary precisely, for example distinguishing perceived benefits from cues to action, and whether evidence from research supports the judgment about what would change the behavior.
CHS 340 Module 2 help with common mistakes
Read the vignette twice and underline words that match your theory's constructs. Answer the four questions in order with headings. Note at least one thing your theory cannot explain. Keep sentences short to fit one page. Send the brief to your group on time; late briefs lose 6 points the first time and more after. If your assigned theory is unfamiliar, the desk can walk you through its constructs. Draft the four answers as bullet points first, then turn each into two or three sentences. Check that every construct you name has a quote or action from the vignette beside it. Read the final page aloud to confirm it fits on one page.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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CHS 340 Module 2 questions, answered
Where can I find a free CHS 340 Module 2 sample paper?
The full Theory Expert Brief applying the Health Belief Model to a prediabetes vignette is on this page.
What questions does the CHS 340 Theory Expert Brief answer?
The theory's central idea, the constructs in the vignette, how it explains or does not explain the behavior and its unique perspective.
How long is a CHS 340 Theory Expert Brief?
One page.
What are the constructs of the Health Belief Model?
Six: how likely and how serious the problem seems, the gains and costs of acting, prompts to act and confidence.
Are CHS 340 briefs individual or group work?
Individual; the group then uses everyone's briefs for its presentation.