1. STAGES OF CHANGE THEORY
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL
by
Kelli Nam
2. Overview
• The target audience of this module is undergraduate college
students in a health promotion and disease prevention class
• The importance of theory in health promotion
• The purpose of the Stages of Change Theory
• Stages of Change Theory constructs
• Readiness for change with addictions
• A readiness for change addiction example
• A readiness for change health behavior example
• Theory limitations
• A theory limitation example
• The relapse stage is now accounted for
3. Theory in Health Promotion
In the field of health education and health promotion,
theory allows for:
• Best practices
• Providing a framework for the development of health
programs
• Shaping the direction for program goals
• Guiding the evaluation of health conditions and
behaviors
• Enhancing the predictability and applicability of health
promotion practices and campaigns
4. Stages of Change Theory: Purpose
• The Stages-of-Change perspective recognizes that people
are at different stages of readiness when it comes to giving
up addictions or making other health behavior changes
• Individuals at different stages may be receptive to
different types of health intervention messages
• A different health advocacy strategy is needed for
someone who has no intention of changing his or her
behavior compared to someone with a positive intention
to change his or her behavior
13. Stages of Change Theory: Examples
• In health promotion and health risk prevention, this
theory can be used to gauge one’s readiness for
change, particularly with addictions
• Smoking
• Alcohol Abuse
• Substance Abuse
• Overeating
14. Readiness for Change: Smoking
Smoking Example
Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAUmTw9YXYk
15. Readiness for Change: Addiction Example
Stop Here to Take the:
Addiction Example Quiz
16. Readiness for Change: Behavior Example
• In health promotion and health risk prevention, this
theory can be used to assess one’s intention for
behavior change
• Eating healthier
• Exercising
• Getting a health screening
17. Stages of Change Theory: Limitations
• Individuals can move between any of the stages multiple
times. (For example, an individual can move between
contemplation and preparation multiple times before Precontemplat
ion
moving on to taking action) Maintenance Contemplation
Action Preparation
• An individual does not have to progress through the stages
in a linear order, as the original visual of the model
suggests
Precontemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance
• In the original model, relapse is not listed as a stage,
though in real life, relapse is a possibility for individuals
18. Stages of Change Theory: Relapse Included
Precontemplation
Relapse Contemplation
Maintenance Preparation
Action
19. Stages of Change Theory: Limitations
Stop Here to Take the:
Limitation Example Quiz
21. References
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Theoretical stage
model. Retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/prev_prog/acdp/intervention/change.htm.
• Cigarette. http://www.stashlighter.com/images/camuflash.jpg.
• Microsoft PowerPoint Clip Art.
• National Institutes of Health (n.d.). Social and behavioral theories.
Retrieved from:
http://www.esourceresearch.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Public/Gla
nz_FullChapter.pdf.
• Stages of Change. (2012). How to quit smoking. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAUmTw9YXYk.