science

Transtheoretical model

Transtheoretical model is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Transtheoretical model rather than just read about it. In short: The transtheoretical model of behavior change is an integrative theory of therapy that assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual. The model is composed of constructs such as: stages of change, processes of change, levels of change, self-efficacy, and decisional balance.

Key takeaways

Transtheoretical model belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Transtheoretical model to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Transtheoretical model from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The transtheoretical model of behavior change is an integrative theory of therapy that assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual. The model is composed of constructs such as: stages of change, processes of change, levels of change, self-efficacy, and decisional balance. The transtheoretical model is also known by the abbreviation "TTM" and sometimes by the term "stages of change", although this latter term is a synecdoche since the stages of change are only one part of the model along with processes of change, levels of change, etc. Several self-help books—Changing for Good (1994), Changeology (2012), and Changing to Thrive (2016)—and articles in the news media have discussed the model. In 2009, an article in the British Journal of Health Psychology called it "arguably the dominant model of health behaviour change, having received unprecedented research attention, yet it has simultaneously attracted exceptional criticism".

History and core constructs James O. Prochaska of the University of Rhode Island, and Carlo Di Clemente and colleagues developed the transtheoretical model beginning in 1977. It is based on analysis and use of different theories of psychotherapy, hence the name "transtheoretical". Prochaska and colleagues refined the model on the basis of research that they published in peer-reviewed journals and books.

Stages of change This construct refers to the temporal dimension of behavioural change. In the transtheoretical model, change is a "process involving progress through a series of stages":

Precontemplation ("not ready") – "People are not intending to take action in the foreseeable future, and can be unaware that their behaviour is problematic" 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" Preparation ("ready") – "People are intending to take action in the immediate future, and may begin taking small steps toward behaviour change" Action – "People have made specific overt modifications in modifying their problem behaviour or in acquiring new healthy behaviours" Maintenance – "People have been able to sustain action for at least six months and are working to prevent relapse" Termination – "Individuals have zero temptation and they are sure they will not return to their old unhealthy habit as a way of coping" In addition, the researchers conceptualized "Relapse" (recycling) which is not a stage in itself but rather the "return from Action or Maintenance to an earlier stage". The quantitative definition of the stages of change (see below) is perhaps the most well-known feature of the model. However it is also one of the most critiqued, even in the field of smoking cessation, where it was originally formulated. It has been said that such quantitative definition (i.e. a person is in preparation if he intends to change within a month) does not reflect the nature of behaviour change, that it does not have better predictive power than simpler questions (i.e. "do you have plans to change..."), and that it has problems regarding its classification reliability. Communication theorist and sociologist Everett Rogers suggested that the stages of change are analogues of the stages of the innovation adoption process in Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations.

Details of each stage

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Transtheoretical model: Stages of change in the transtheoretical model — Stages of change in the transtheoretical model

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Transtheoretical model

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Transtheoretical model claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Transtheoretical model before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Transtheoretical model ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Transtheoretical model

In research: Transtheoretical model appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Transtheoretical model in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Transtheoretical model is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Behavior modification, Health promotion, Integrative psychotherapy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Transtheoretical model outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Transtheoretical model in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Transtheoretical model means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Transtheoretical model out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Transtheoretical model in simple terms?

Why does Transtheoretical model matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Transtheoretical model?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Transtheoretical model.