Lab 1

Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Changes (Stages of Change Model)

The HHS 241 general lab was designed using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (Stages of Change model) as a guideline. The following should provide you with a better understanding of how the lab was formatted along with a better understanding of the Stages of Change model.

Prochaska & DiClemente introduced The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change in the earlier 80's. It has been widely researched and used to help describe the process individuals go through when acquiring or changing behaviors. By understanding these processes we better understand how individuals change behaviors, thus we are better able to develop intervention programs (and courses) that can help individuals acquire healthier behaviors as it relates to their health and fitness.

Overview of the HHS 241 lab as it applies to the Stages of Change model:

Labs one through four focus on the precontemplation and contemplation stages of the model by focusing on bringing awareness of current health status and behaviors patterns to you, the student.

Starting in Lab four, the preparation stage is targeted by the development of goal/objective statements. These statements turn into the actions that individuals see as health behaviors in their life that they would like to work on modifying.

Labs five through ten focus on potential obstacles that could prevent students from reaching their desired goals by addressing various factors such as; body image, potential barriers, stressors, lack of knowledge in exercise/activity program development, time management skills, personal support structure, and rewards.

Though not all students may want to change health behaviors at the time they are taking the course, they will learn new skills and tools that will enable them to be more effective when/if they decide to do so in the future.

Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Changes (Stages of Change Model) has four dimensions. The first dimension is the 'Stage' of a current behavior.

Cardinal, Brad (2001, November). The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Presentation handouts presented in a Health Behaviors class at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.

Conceptual Overview of the Stages of Change model (Cardinal, 2001):

• A stage represents the temporal, motivational, and constancy aspects of changes.
• Stages are both dynamic and stable. One can be in a stage for a period of time, yet still be open to change.
• Six distinct stages are posited:

  Precontemplation

  Not thinking about changing in the foreseeable future.

  Contemplation

  Thinking about the prospect of changing, but not prepared to take action.

  Preparation

  Ready to take action, planning to make changes, and/or trying out small changes.

  Action

  Extinguishing a negative behavior or acquiring a positive behavior, but for less than six months.

  Maintenance

  Sustaining the change/behavior for longer than six months.

  Termination (Transformed)

  Closure point in the behavior change process. No more "effort" is required to maintain the behavior because it becomes part of a person's regular behavior.
  
  May take five or more years to occur. May not apply to all behaviors. No additional time or energy is needed to sustain the "change".

• Possible regressions within the process of change:

Lapse

Relapse

Regression to an earlier stage. Not posited as a specific stage of change, rather acknowledged a possibility.

Collapse

Second Dimension: Change Processes

The processes of change focus on the activities, events, and strategies that lead to successful behavior change.

• Theoretically stem from a diverse set of therapy systems including behavioral, cognitive, existential, experiential, gestalt, humanistic, interpersonal, psychodynamic, and radical therapies.
• Ten processes are posited. These organize into two higher-order constructs (i.e. cognitive/experiential and behavioral processes).
• People in the earlier stages of change tend to emphasize the cognitive/experiential processes and people in the later stages tend to emphasize the behavioral processes.

Cognitive/Experiential Processes

• Consciousness raising - individuals efforts to seek out new information and to gain understanding and feedback about a problem behavior.
• Dramatic relief - affective aspects of change; often involve intense emotional experiences as they relate to the problem behavior.
• Environmental reevaluation - assessment and consideration of how the problem behavior affects one's physical and social environment.
• Self-reevaluation - cognitive and emotional reappraisal on one's values with respect to the problem behavior.
• Social liberation - an individuals acceptance, awareness, and availability of alternative, problem-free lifestyles in society.

Behavioral Processes

• Counter-conditioning - substituting an alternative behavior for the problem behavior.
• Contingency management – changing the rein forcers that control or maintain a problem behavior.
• Helping relationships – accepting, trusting, and utilizing the support of caring others during change attempts.
• Stimulus control – control of situations and other causes that trigger the problem behavior.
• Self-liberation – believing, choosing, and committing to change a problem behavior.

Third Dimension: Decisional Balance

Originally conceptualized by Janis and Mann (1977), decisional balance refers to the relative weight assigned to the "pros" and "cons" of a decision. A "balance sheet" is created which allows potential gains and losses of any decision - including decisions associated with initiating and/or maintaining a physical activity program - to be observed.

Fourth Dimension: Self-Efficacy

Bandura (1977) conceptualized self-efficacy as situation-specific self-confidence. Assuming adequate incentives and skill, self-efficacy is a powerful predictor variable.

Cardinal, Brad (2001, November). The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Presentation handouts presented in a Health Behaviors class at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.