The 6 Stages of Change

Anyone who has ever broken a New Year’s resolution can 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.

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

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.

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 explain how change occurs. Understanding the elements of change, the stages of change, and ways to work through each stage can help you achieve your goals.

Stages of Change Model

One of the best-known approaches to change is the stages of change (aka, transtheoretical) model, introduced in the late 1970s by researchers James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente. They were studying ways to help people quit smoking. The stages of change model has been found to be an effective aid in understanding how people go through a change in behavior.

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.

Stage 1: Precontemplation

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, begin by asking yourself some questions. Have you ever tried to change this behavior in the past? How do you recognize that you have a problem? What would have to happen for you to consider your behavior a problem?

Stage 2: Contemplation

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.

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?

Stage 3: Preparation

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 to quit 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 reading self-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:

• Gather as much information as you can about ways to change your behavior.
• Prepare a list of motivating statements.
• Write down your goals.
• Find resources such as support groups, counselors, or friends who can offer advice and encouragement.

Stage 4: Action

During the fourth stage of change, people begin taking direct action to accomplish 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. Reinforcement and support are extremely important in helping maintain positive steps toward change.

Stage 5: Maintenance

The maintenance phase of the stages of change model involves successfully avoiding former behaviors and keeping up new behaviors.

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.

Stage 6: Relapse

In any behavior change, relapses are a common occurrence. When you go through a relapse, you might experience feelings of failure, 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?

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:

• Smoking cessation
• Overeating
• Drug misuse rehabilitation
• Diabetes management
• Medication adherence

It can also help people achieve lifestyle goals such as:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Regular exercise
• Improved sleep schedules
• Staying hydrated
• Practicing relaxation techniques
  
• Give up bad habits

Limitations of the Transtheoretical Model

Although the transtheoretical model can foster behavioral change, critics have pointed out several limitations:

• It assumes that the person is capable of rational, logical decisions and actions.
• It doesn't take into account contextual factors such as income, class, occupation, etc.
• No defined start/end points or durations delineate each stage or the overall process.
• Interview tools such as questionnaires are arbitrary and unstandardized.
  

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.

Takeaways

Making a major change and sticking to it aren't easy. You may be more successful in keeping your resolutions by using these steps. Many clinical programs for behavior change use the stages of change model for issues from smoking cessation to substance misuse recovery. In fact, if you go with a structured program to support your change, you might see the steps outlined here.