Question

The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change assists healthcare providers in understanding the stages and dynamics of behavior change.

Describe the stages of change an individual who leads a sedentary lifestyle may go through before change may occur according to the Transtheoretical Model.

1. Give an example of a process of change that could be used to influence individuals to change their sedentary behavior at each stage of change.

Answer 1

# The transtheoretical model of behavior change :-

Assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual through the stages of change to Action and Maintenance.

# The six stages of the Transtheoretical model of behavior change :-

- Precontemplation,

- Contemplation

- Preparation,

- Action

- Maintenance

- Termination

Stages :-

1. Precontemplation

Not Ready-"People are not intending to take action in the foreseeable future, and can be unaware that their behaviour is problematic". The individual with sedentary lifestyle will not get ready to change the behaviour because they are not aware of the adverse effects due to their lifestyle .

2. Contemplation

Getting Ready-"People are beginning to recognize that their behaviour is problematic, and start to look at the pros and cons of their continued actions" . The individual with sedentary lifestyle will recognise that their sedentary lifestyle is problematic for their health and then look for the advantages and disadvantages caused by their behaviour

3. Preparation

Ready-"People are intending to take action in the immediate future, and may begin taking small steps toward behaviour change". The individual with sedentary lifestyle start taking small steps towards changing their behaviour .

4. Action

"People have made specific overt modifications in modifying their problem behaviour or in acquiring new healthy behaviours". The individual with sedentary lifestyle completely changes his behaviour and have a healthy lifestyle .

5. Maintenance

"People have been able to sustain action for a while and are working to prevent relapse". The individual with good healthy lifestyle works hard to maintain the behaviour and prevent relapse .

6. Termination

"Individuals have zero temptation and they are sure they will not return to their old unhealthy habit as a way of coping". The individual with good healthy lifestyle have no temptation to go back to his past unhealthy behaviour .