Transtheoretical Model Of Change

DiClemente and Prochaska developed the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) in 1983, and originally developed it to help people stop smoking. However, the theory can be used in numerous applications in order to assess and develop interventions to help a person change a certain behavior. The theory was synthesized from many other psychotherapy and behavior change theories, such as Skinner’s behavioral theory and Freudian theory. However, the TTM incorporates a measure of time (temporal dimension) of six-month intervals, which no other theory has incorporated. The theory states that behavior change is a process and all people are at different stages of readiness to change and have different levels of motivation. One can progress back and …show more content…
This is very useful because behavior change is a process and constantly needs to be reevaluated and restructured. Another strength is that this theory could be used to help change many behaviors at once. On the other hand, a weakness is that the TTM’s stages may not be clearly defined and it is difficult to assess one’s current stage at times. The six-month measure of time may not apply to everyone as well. The theory also doesn’t really address any social or environmental issues in regards to behavior change. -The lines between the stages can be arbitrary with no set criteria of how to determine a person's stage of change. The questionnaires that have been developed to assign a person to a stage of change are not always standardized or validated. -There is no clear sense for how much time is needed for each stage, or how long a person can remain in a stage. -The model assumes that individuals make coherent and logical plans in their decision-making process when this is not always true. -The Transtheoretical Model makes no assumption about how ready individuals are to change. (uri.edu) There are five stages of change that one progresses through. The first is the “precontemplation” stage where there is no intent at all to act within …show more content…
When the person actually modifies the behavior and changes are seen, the person is then in the “action” stage. Finally, after the person has been in the “action” stage for six months, he or she transitions over to the “maintenance” stage. This “maintenance” stage is the ultimate goal, and the person should stay in this final stage for at least six-months to years. The main concepts or constructs of the TTM include decisional balance, self-efficacy, and processes of change. Decisional balance refers to the person identifying the pros and cons of the perceived behavior change. The pros must outweigh the cons in order for the person to start to perceive an important behavior change. Self-efficacy plays a huge role is the success of the desired behavior change and the maintenance of the change. The person’s perceived confidence in his or her ability to change the behavior is the main idea of self-efficacy. Lastly, there are ten processes of change that are activities and interventions that are used to help a person move through the stages. The processes address how behavior is changed and include both cognitive and behavioral processes. The client’s name in this behavior change project is Nikki W. She is a white

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