The stages of change model
The transtheoretical model of behaviour change was originally developed by Prochaska and DiClemente (1982) as a synthesis of 18 therapies describing the processes involved in eliciting and maintaining change. It is now more commonly known as the stages of change model. Prochaska and DiClemente examined these different therapeutic approaches for common processes and suggested a new model of behaviour change based on the following stages: 1 Precontemplation: not intending to make any changes. 2 Contemplation: considering a change. 3 Preparation: making small changes. 4 Action: actively engaging in a new behaviour. 5 Maintenance: sustaining the change over time. These stages, however, do not always occur in a linear fashion (simply moving from 1 to 5) but the theory describes behaviour change as dynamic and not ‘all or nothing’. For example, an individual may move to the preparation stage and then back to the contemplation stage several times before progressing to the action stage. Furthermore, even when an individual has reached the maintenance stage, they may slip back to the contemplation stage over time. The model also examines how the individual weighs up the costs and benefits of a particular behaviour. In particular, its authors argue that individuals at different stages of change will differentially focus on either the costs of a behaviour (e.g. stopping smoking will make me anxious in company) or the benefits of the behaviour (e.g. stopping smoking will improve my health). For example, a smoker at the action (I have stopped smoking) and the maintenance (for four months) stages tend to focus on the favourable and positive feature of their behaviour (I feel healthier because I have stopped smoking), whereas smokers in the precontemplation stage tend to focus on the negative features of the behaviour (it will make me anxious).
The transtheoretical model of behaviour change was originally developed by Prochaska and DiClemente (1982) as a synthesis of 18 therapies describing the processes involved in eliciting and maintaining change. It is now more commonly known as the stages of change model. Prochaska and DiClemente examined these different therapeutic approaches for common processes and suggested a new model of behaviour change based on the following stages: 1 Precontemplation: not intending to make any changes. 2 Contemplation: considering a change. 3 Preparation: making small changes. 4 Action: actively engaging in a new behaviour. 5 Maintenance: sustaining the change over time. These stages, however, do not always occur in a linear fashion (simply moving from 1 to 5) but the theory describes behaviour change as dynamic and not ‘all or nothing’. For example, an individual may move to the preparation stage and then back to the contemplation stage several times before progressing to the action stage. Furthermore, even when an individual has reached the maintenance stage, they may slip back to the contemplation stage over time. The model also examines how the individual weighs up the costs and benefits of a particular behaviour. In particular, its authors argue that individuals at different stages of change will differentially focus on either the costs of a behaviour (e.g. stopping smoking will make me anxious in company) or the benefits of the behaviour (e.g. stopping smoking will improve my health). For example, a smoker at the action (I have stopped smoking) and the maintenance (for four months) stages tend to focus on the favourable and positive feature of their behaviour (I feel healthier because I have stopped smoking), whereas smokers in the precontemplation stage tend to focus on the negative features of the behaviour (it will make me anxious).
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