CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Predisposing factors in health behavior refer to the characteristics that motivate a person to engage in certain health-related actions before they take place. These factors include individual knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions that can either encourage or discourage specific health behaviors. For instance, a person who has a positive attitude toward exercise and believes in its benefits is more likely to engage in physical activity. These pre-existing traits and understandings form the groundwork for decision-making regarding health behaviors, ultimately influencing whether a person will take action towards better health.

The other options describe aspects of health behavior influences but do not fit the definition of predisposing factors. External forces inhibiting change relate more to environmental or societal barriers rather than individual motivation. Incentives received after behavior change refer to reinforcing factors that affect behavior post-action, rather than before. Lastly, environments that support individual behavior focus on the situational context rather than the intrinsic characteristics that motivate behaviors upfront.