Table 1 Domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework and definitions

Knowledge

An awareness of the existence of something (scientific, procedural, task environment)

Skills

An ability or proficiency acquired through practice

Social/Professional Role and Identity

A coherent set of behaviours and displayed personal qualities of an individual in a social or work setting

Beliefs About Capabilities

Acceptance of the truth, reality or validity about an ability, talent or facility that a person can put to constructive use

Optimism

The confidence that things will happen for the best or that desired goals will be attained

Beliefs About Consequences

Acceptance of the truth, reality, or validity about outcomes of a behaviour in a given situation

Reinforcement

Increasing the probability of a response by arranging a dependent relationship, or contingency, between the response and a given stimulus

Intentions

A conscious decision to perform a behaviour or a resolve to act in a certain way

Goals

Mental representations of outcomes or end states that an individual wants to achieve

Memory, Attention and Decision Processes

The ability to retain information, focus selectively on aspects of the environment and choose between two or more alternatives

Environmental Context and Resources

Any circumstance of a person’s situation or environment that discourages or encourages the development of skills and abilities, independence, social competence and adaptive behaviour

Social Influences

Those interpersonal processes that can cause individuals to change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviours

Emotion

A complex reaction pattern, involving experiential, behavioural, and physiological elements, by which the individual attempts to deal with a personally significant matter or event

Behavioural Regulation

Anything aimed at managing or changing objectively observed or measured actions