Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGetting StartedThe ModelStage 1: PrecontemplationStage 2: ContemplationStage 3: PreparationStage 4: ActionStage 5: MaintenanceStage 6: RelapseUsesLimitationsGetting Help
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Getting Started
The Model
Stage 1: Precontemplation
Stage 2: Contemplation
Stage 3: Preparation
Stage 4: Action
Stage 5: Maintenance
Stage 6: Relapse
Uses
Limitations
Getting Help
Close
Anyone who has ever broken aNew Year’s resolutioncan appreciate the difficulty of behavior change. Making a lasting change in behavior is rarely a simple process. It usually involves a substantial commitment of time, effort, and emotion. The stages of change (or transtheoretical) model seeks to explain and effect such change, and the science says it works in many cases.
At a GlanceChange isn’t easy, but the stages of change model can help you understand the process and maybe make this process work a little bit easier. When changing a behavior, people typically go through the following stages:Precontemplation, where they are often ignoring or denying the problemContemplation, where they weigh the pros and cons of making a changePreparation, where they decide what they’ll do to make the changeAction, where they take steps toward the goalMaintenance, where they stick with it for the long termRelapse, where mistakes and setbacks happen, and people must decide whether to keep goingUnderstanding this process can help you prepare to take these steps, decide how to tackle them, and follow through on your goals.
At a Glance
Change isn’t easy, but the stages of change model can help you understand the process and maybe make this process work a little bit easier. When changing a behavior, people typically go through the following stages:Precontemplation, where they are often ignoring or denying the problemContemplation, where they weigh the pros and cons of making a changePreparation, where they decide what they’ll do to make the changeAction, where they take steps toward the goalMaintenance, where they stick with it for the long termRelapse, where mistakes and setbacks happen, and people must decide whether to keep goingUnderstanding this process can help you prepare to take these steps, decide how to tackle them, and follow through on your goals.
Change isn’t easy, but the stages of change model can help you understand the process and maybe make this process work a little bit easier. When changing a behavior, people typically go through the following stages:
Understanding this process can help you prepare to take these steps, decide how to tackle them, and follow through on your goals.
Press Play for Advice On Creating Change
How to Get Started When Making a Change
Whether people want to lose weight, stop smoking, or accomplish another goal, no single solution works for everyone. You may have to go through a process of trial and error to achieve the things you want.
Many people become discouraged during this period and give up on their behavior-change goals. The keys to achieving and maintaining your goals are to try new techniques and find ways to stay motivated.
Change might not come easily, but psychologists have developed effective ways to help people change their behavior. Therapists, physicians, and teachers use these techniques.
Researchers have also proposed theories to explainhowchange occurs. Understanding the elements of change, the stages of change, and ways to work through each stage can help you achieve your goals.
The Elements of ChangeTo succeed, you need to understand the three most important elements in changing behavior:Readiness to change: Do you have the resources and knowledge to make a lasting change successfully?Barriers to change: Is there anything preventing you from changing?Likelihood of relapse: What might trigger a return to a former behavior?
The Elements of Change
To succeed, you need to understand the three most important elements in changing behavior:Readiness to change: Do you have the resources and knowledge to make a lasting change successfully?Barriers to change: Is there anything preventing you from changing?Likelihood of relapse: What might trigger a return to a former behavior?
To succeed, you need to understand the three most important elements in changing behavior:
Stages of Change Model
1:42Click Play to Learn More About the 6 Stages of Behavior Change
1:42
Click Play to Learn More About the 6 Stages of Behavior Change
In this model, change occurs gradually, and relapses are an inevitable part of the process. People are often unwilling or resistant to change during the early stages but eventually develop a proactive and committed approach to changing a behavior.
This model demonstrates that change is rarely easy. It often requires a gradual progression of small steps toward a goal.
CharacteristicsDenialIgnorance of the problemStrategiesRethink your behaviorAnalyze yourself and your actionsAssess risks of current behavior
CharacteristicsDenialIgnorance of the problem
Denial
Ignorance of the problem
StrategiesRethink your behaviorAnalyze yourself and your actionsAssess risks of current behavior
Rethink your behavior
Analyze yourself and your actions
Assess risks of current behavior
The earliest stage of change is precontemplation.During the precontemplation stage, people are not considering a change. People in this stage are often described as “in denial,” because they claim that their behavior is not a problem. In some cases, people in this stage do not understand that their behavior is damaging, or they are under-informed about the consequences of their actions.
If you are in this stage, you may feel resigned to your current state or believe that you have no control over your behavior.
CharacteristicsAmbivalenceConflicted emotionsStrategiesWeigh pros and cons of behavior changeConfirm readiness and ability to changeIdentify barriers to change
CharacteristicsAmbivalenceConflicted emotions
Ambivalence
Conflicted emotions
StrategiesWeigh pros and cons of behavior changeConfirm readiness and ability to changeIdentify barriers to change
Weigh pros and cons of behavior change
Confirm readiness and ability to change
Identify barriers to change
During this stage, people become more and more aware of the potential benefits of making a change, but the costs tend to stand out even more. This conflict creates a strong sense of ambivalence about changing.Because of this uncertainty, the contemplation stage of change can last months or even years.
Many people never make it past the contemplation phase.
You may view change as a process of giving something up rather than a means of gaining emotional, mental, or physical benefits. If you are contemplating a behavior change, there are some important questions to ask yourself: Why do you want to change? Is there anything preventing you from changing? What are some things that could help you make this change?
CharacteristicsExperimenting with small changesCollecting information about changeStrategiesWrite down your goalsPrepare a plan of actionMake a list of motivating statements
CharacteristicsExperimenting with small changesCollecting information about change
Experimenting with small changes
Collecting information about change
StrategiesWrite down your goalsPrepare a plan of actionMake a list of motivating statements
Write down your goals
Prepare a plan of action
Make a list of motivating statements
During the preparation stage, you might begin making small changes to prepare for a larger life change. For example, if losing weight is your goal, you might switch to lower-fat foods.If your goal is toquit smoking, you might switch brands or smoke less each day. You might also take some sort of direct action such as consulting a therapist, joining a health club, or readingself-help books.
If you are in the preparation stage, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of successfully making a lasting life change:
CharacteristicsDirect action toward a goalStrategiesReward your successesSeek out social support
CharacteristicsDirect action toward a goal
Direct action toward a goal
StrategiesReward your successesSeek out social support
Reward your successes
Seek out social support
During the fourth stage of change, people begin taking direct action toaccomplish their goals.Oftentimes, resolutions fail because the previous steps have not been given enough thought or time.
For example, many people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and immediately start a new exercise regimen, embark on a healthier diet, and cut back on snacks. These definitive steps are vital to success, but these efforts are often abandoned in a matter of weeks because the previous steps have been overlooked.
If you are currently taking action toward achieving a goal, congratulate and reward yourself for any positive steps you take.Reinforcementand support are extremely important in helping maintain positive steps toward change.
Take the time to periodically review yourmotivations, resources, and progress in order to refresh your commitment and belief in your abilities.
CharacteristicsMaintenance of the new behaviorAvoiding temptationStrategiesDevelop coping strategies for temptationRemember to reward yourself
CharacteristicsMaintenance of the new behaviorAvoiding temptation
Maintenance of the new behavior
Avoiding temptation
StrategiesDevelop coping strategies for temptationRemember to reward yourself
Develop coping strategies for temptation
Remember to reward yourself
The maintenance phase of the stages of change model involves successfully avoiding former behaviors and keeping up new behaviors.
During this stage, people become more assured that they will be able to continue their change.
If you are trying to maintain a new behavior, look for ways to avoid temptation. Try replacing old habits with more positive actions. Reward yourself when you are able to successfully avoid a relapse.
If you do falter, don’t be too hard on yourself or give up. Instead, remind yourself that it was just a minor setback. As you will learn in the next stage, relapses are common and are a part of the process of making a lifelong change.
CharacteristicsDisappointmentFrustrationFeelings of failureStrategiesIdentify triggers that lead to relapseRecognize barriers to successReaffirm your goal and commitment to change
CharacteristicsDisappointmentFrustrationFeelings of failure
Disappointment
Frustration
Feelings of failure
StrategiesIdentify triggers that lead to relapseRecognize barriers to successReaffirm your goal and commitment to change
Identify triggers that lead to relapse
Recognize barriers to success
Reaffirm your goal and commitment to change
In any behavior change, relapses are a common occurrence.When you go through a relapse, you might experience feelings offailure, disappointment, and frustration.
The key to success is to not let these setbacks undermine your self-confidence. If you lapse back to an old behavior, take a hard look at why it happened. What triggered the relapse? What can you do to avoid these triggers in the future?
While relapses can be difficult, the best solution is to start again with the preparation, action, or maintenance stages of behavior change.
Consider reassessing your resources and techniques. Reaffirm your motivation, plan of action, and commitment to your goals. Also, make plans for how you will deal with any future temptations.
Resolutions fail when the proper preparation and actions are not taken. By approaching a goal with an understanding of how to best prepare, act, and maintain a new behavior, you will be more likely to succeed.
Stages of Change Examples and Uses
The transtheoretical model can help in many areas, including:
It can also help people achieve lifestyle goals such as:
Applying the transtheoretical model would likely benefit any significant change you’d like to make.
Limitations of the Transtheoretical Model
Although the transtheoretical model can foster behavioral change, critics have pointed out several limitations:
How to Get Help
Sometimes, no matter how determined a person is, the obstacles to change are nearly insurmountable without help—or at the very least, infinitely easier with it.
For example, overcoming a substance misuse disorder generally requires the expertise of a specialist to help smooth the rehabilitation process and foster your mental and physical health. They can provide therapy, medication, and other proven supports. Talk with your healthcare provider about the options.
If you are dealing with addiction or another heath issue, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. They can provide information on how to best handle your situation and help you access the support and resources you need to achieve your behavior change goals.
Takeaways
The Stages of Change Model of Overcoming Addiction
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hashemzadeh M, Rahimi A, Zare-Farashbandi F, Alavi-Naeini AM, Daei A.Transtheoretical model of health behavioral change: A systematic review.Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2019;24(2):83-90. doi:10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17Li X, Yang S, Wang Y, Yang B, Zhang J.Effects of a transtheoretical model - based intervention and motivational interviewing on the management of depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):420. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-08568-xLiu KT, Kueh YC, Arifin WN, Kim Y, Kuan G.Application of transtheoretical model on behavioral changes, and amount of physical activity among university’s students.Front Psychol. 2018;9:2402. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02402Mastellos N, Gunn LH, Felix LM, Car J, Majeed A.Transtheoretical model stages of change for dietary and physical exercise modification in weight loss management for overweight and obese adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2014;(2):CD008066. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008066.pub3Abrash Walton A, Nageotte NL, Heimlich JE, Threadgill AV.Facilitating behavior change: Introducing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change as a conservation psychology framework and tool for practitioners.Zoo Biol. 2022;41(5):386-397. doi:10.1002/zoo.21704LaMorte WW.The transtheoretical model (Stages of Change). Boston University School of Public Health.LaMorte W.The transtheoretical model (stages of change). Boston University School of Public Health.
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hashemzadeh M, Rahimi A, Zare-Farashbandi F, Alavi-Naeini AM, Daei A.Transtheoretical model of health behavioral change: A systematic review.Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2019;24(2):83-90. doi:10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17Li X, Yang S, Wang Y, Yang B, Zhang J.Effects of a transtheoretical model - based intervention and motivational interviewing on the management of depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):420. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-08568-xLiu KT, Kueh YC, Arifin WN, Kim Y, Kuan G.Application of transtheoretical model on behavioral changes, and amount of physical activity among university’s students.Front Psychol. 2018;9:2402. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02402Mastellos N, Gunn LH, Felix LM, Car J, Majeed A.Transtheoretical model stages of change for dietary and physical exercise modification in weight loss management for overweight and obese adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2014;(2):CD008066. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008066.pub3Abrash Walton A, Nageotte NL, Heimlich JE, Threadgill AV.Facilitating behavior change: Introducing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change as a conservation psychology framework and tool for practitioners.Zoo Biol. 2022;41(5):386-397. doi:10.1002/zoo.21704LaMorte WW.The transtheoretical model (Stages of Change). Boston University School of Public Health.LaMorte W.The transtheoretical model (stages of change). Boston University School of Public Health.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Hashemzadeh M, Rahimi A, Zare-Farashbandi F, Alavi-Naeini AM, Daei A.Transtheoretical model of health behavioral change: A systematic review.Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2019;24(2):83-90. doi:10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17Li X, Yang S, Wang Y, Yang B, Zhang J.Effects of a transtheoretical model - based intervention and motivational interviewing on the management of depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):420. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-08568-xLiu KT, Kueh YC, Arifin WN, Kim Y, Kuan G.Application of transtheoretical model on behavioral changes, and amount of physical activity among university’s students.Front Psychol. 2018;9:2402. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02402Mastellos N, Gunn LH, Felix LM, Car J, Majeed A.Transtheoretical model stages of change for dietary and physical exercise modification in weight loss management for overweight and obese adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2014;(2):CD008066. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008066.pub3Abrash Walton A, Nageotte NL, Heimlich JE, Threadgill AV.Facilitating behavior change: Introducing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change as a conservation psychology framework and tool for practitioners.Zoo Biol. 2022;41(5):386-397. doi:10.1002/zoo.21704LaMorte WW.The transtheoretical model (Stages of Change). Boston University School of Public Health.LaMorte W.The transtheoretical model (stages of change). Boston University School of Public Health.
Hashemzadeh M, Rahimi A, Zare-Farashbandi F, Alavi-Naeini AM, Daei A.Transtheoretical model of health behavioral change: A systematic review.Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2019;24(2):83-90. doi:10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17
Li X, Yang S, Wang Y, Yang B, Zhang J.Effects of a transtheoretical model - based intervention and motivational interviewing on the management of depression in hospitalized patients with coronary heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):420. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-08568-x
Liu KT, Kueh YC, Arifin WN, Kim Y, Kuan G.Application of transtheoretical model on behavioral changes, and amount of physical activity among university’s students.Front Psychol. 2018;9:2402. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02402
Mastellos N, Gunn LH, Felix LM, Car J, Majeed A.Transtheoretical model stages of change for dietary and physical exercise modification in weight loss management for overweight and obese adults.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2014;(2):CD008066. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008066.pub3
Abrash Walton A, Nageotte NL, Heimlich JE, Threadgill AV.Facilitating behavior change: Introducing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change as a conservation psychology framework and tool for practitioners.Zoo Biol. 2022;41(5):386-397. doi:10.1002/zoo.21704
LaMorte WW.The transtheoretical model (Stages of Change). Boston University School of Public Health.
LaMorte W.The transtheoretical model (stages of change). Boston University School of Public Health.
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