Transtheoretical model of behavior change
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, developed by James O. Prochaska and his colleagues in the 1980s, provides a framework for understanding how individuals can change unhealthy behaviors and adopt healthier lifestyles. This model is particularly relevant in addressing various risky behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol addiction, obesity, and lack of exercise. Central to the model is the concept of "Stages of Change," which outlines a process that individuals typically navigate when making a behavioral adjustment.
The six stages identified include precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance, with the sixth stage of termination being debated in later research due to the inherent possibility of relapse. Each stage requires different strategies to assist individuals in progressing toward positive behavior changes. For instance, those in the precontemplation stage need to recognize the need for change, while those in the action stage require support to maintain their new behaviors. Overall, the model acknowledges that regression can occur, emphasizing the importance of continued support and strategies to foster long-term behavioral change.
Transtheoretical model of behavior change
- TYPE OF PSYCHOLOGY: Psychotherapy
The transtheoretical model was developed by James O. Prochaska and his colleagues in the 1980s as a way to change behavior, including helping individuals make healthful lifestyle changes. The model has been applied to many risky behaviors including, but not limited to, alcohol addiction, smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise.
Introduction
Changing negative behaviors has been an important interest of psychologists for many years. Psychotherapists have used many strategies with patients to rehabilitate juvenile delinquency, addictions, and depression. In the 1980s, the transtheoretical model was developed by James O. Prochaska in collaboration with Carlo DiClemente and James Norcross. This model was developed not only to guide psychotherapists to positively change behaviors in their patients but also to explain how individuals can change behaviors themselves.
The main premise of the transtheoretical model is that people go through several stages before change occurs. For this reason, the model is also known as the stages of change. An important feature of the model is that regression is as real as progression. Just because individuals move toward a positive behavioral change does not mean that they will not at some point move back in a negative direction. Another characteristic of the model is that strategies used to help people move toward positive behaviors are different at the various stages. Therefore, the objective is to methodically move the person in the positive direction, not jump straight to the positive behavior that the person may not be prepared to sustain.
Stages of Change
In the original model, Prochaska and his colleagues identified six stages through which a person must move to fully implement the positive behavioral change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. After many years of research, the termination stage was largely dropped because it was determined that changing forever is not guaranteed for those who reach a desired behavioral change. There is always the risk of returning to a negative behavior. However, some implementing the model continued to include this sixth step.
The first stage is precontemplation. Individuals in this stage are not considering a change in a specific behavior. In many cases, these individuals are not aware that their behavior is problematic, nor do they believe there is anything they can do about it. Individuals in the contemplation stage have realized that they have a problem behavior, and they are thinking that they need to make a change in that behavior. While they have identified a specific behavior as a problem, they do not have a plan for change. In the preparation stage, people have identified a problem behavior and have developed a plan to make a positive change. The plan may or may not be a good plan. These people have progressed from thinking about starting a change to planning for it.
In the action stage, individuals have implemented the plan and have begun to make the behavioral change. However, the behavior has been changed for less than six months. Once the change has been sustained for more than six months, individuals progress to the maintenance stage. Although people in the maintenance stage have been successful for six months, they are always at risk of reverting back to the negative behavior.
Applications of the Model
When using the stages of change model, different strategies are used for individuals at different stages. Precontemplators need assistance to make changes. They should not be pushed into action. The focus must be on getting these individuals to realize that a behavioral change is needed and is possible to achieve. When this is accomplished, these individuals become contemplators. The strategy used with contemplators is to prepare them to plan the change by getting them excited about it and getting them to reevaluate themselves. This will help them move into the preparation stage. The key to this stage is commitment. Commitment can be fostered by developing a plan of action, setting a date for the change, and letting others know about the planned change. Then these individuals are ready for action. The behavioral change is attempted but not guaranteed. Attention is still needed to substitute good behaviors for those being changed, by controlling the environment that affects the changed behavior and rewarding the individuals for the new behavior. After the behavioral change has been maintained for six months, individuals move to the maintenance stage. The threat of going back to the negative behavior is still real, and interventions are required. Maintaining a positive environment, positive thinking, and using the help of others make maintaining the change more permanent.
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