personal quote:

The Soooner you realize that Life isn't fair the Less disappointed you will be.

Idea Of The Day - Preparation Stage of the Transtheoretical Model

The third stage of the Transtheoretical Model of change is preparation. The person or group is finally moving to the positive side of their ambivalence and asks, "If I were to make this change, how could I do it?"

As this point, the person or group is looking for options and wants to weigh the pros and cons of each option for change available. There are many roads to Rome and many ways to skin a cat as they say, and during preparation the individual or group is making plans for their trip, for their journey.

Preparation requires information, resources, and support. There should be a cautious attitude about not rushing to a quick choice. There is no silver bullet or magic key. What works for one person or group may not work for another. Each strategy should be customized for the unique individual or group. This is not to say that the experience of others who have made a successful change attempt can't be informative and inspiring. Often the examples of others brings increased knowledge, skill, and confidence. Learning from others can be a key component of preparation but copying exactly rarely works and sets people up for failure. The key is using the ideas from others but making them one's own in planning the application.

For more information about the preparation stage of change click here.

The is article #4 in a series on the Transtheoretical Model

Idea Of The Day - Contemplation stage of trantheoretical model

The second stage of change in the transtheoretical model is contemplation. At this point, there is an awareness that there might be a problem. The person/people agree that "maybe yes and maybe no". There is part of them that part of the time acknowledges that there could be a problem, but there is a part of them that part of the time minimizes, procrastinates, wants absolute certainly, wants a silver key or magic bullet, or simply hopes that they will go to sleep and wake up and the problem will have just gone away.

It is not until the person becomes emotionally aroused, fired up, or sees the writing on the wall meaning that change is really in their best interest that the person or people can overcome their ambivalence and move forward.

The therapist must resist the reactive attempt at pre-mature closier because nothing contibutes to worst demoralization than to make a change attempt and fail because the person or people really weren't ready yet. While counter-intuitive restraint of change while encouraging the positive side of the ambivalence can be the most effective therapeutic strategy.

For more information click here.

This is article #3 in a series on the Transtheoretical Model.

Idea Of The Day - Pre-contemplation

Pre-contemplation is the first step of change which is often recognized as denial and minimization. People are not aware that they have a problem or if they recognize it they rationalize it as “not being that bad.” The idea of the pre-contemplation stage of change applies to individuals, families, communities, and nations.

The main defenses people use in pre-contemplation are denial, rationalization and intellectualization, projection, displacement, and internalization.

The biggest mistake helpers make with people in pre-contemplation is pushing them to action. In pushing people in pre-contemplation to change helpers will only provoke resistance. The person or people they are trying to help don’t even recognize yet that there is a problem.

So the first step in working with someone or groups in pre-contemplation is by consciousness raising, by educating them about the nature of the problem. This consciousness raising and education can take many forms. For more information click here.

This is article #2 in the series on the Transtheoretical model.

Idea Of The Day - Transtheoretical Model

The Transtheoretical Model also sometimes called the Stages of Change model developed by Prochaska and DiClemente has been a huge gift to the substance abuse field in helping us assess where people are at in the change process.

The stages as described in the Wikipedia are as follows:

Pre-Contemplation is the stage in which an individual has no intent to change behavior in the near future,usually measured as the next 6 months. Precontemplators are often characterized as resistant or unmotivated and tend to avoid information, discussion, or thought with regard to the targeted health behavior (Prochaska et al., 1992).

Contemplation stage. Individuals in this stage openly state their intent to change within the next 6 months. They are more aware of the benefits of changing, but remain keenly aware of the costs (Prochaska, Redding, & Evers, 1997). Contemplators are often seen as ambivalent to change or as procrastinators (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984).

Preparation is the stage in which individuals intend to take steps to change, usually within the next month (DiClemente et al., 1991). PR is viewed as a transition rather than stable stage, with individuals intending progress to A in the next 30 days (Grimley, Prochaska, Velicer, Blais, & DiClemente, 1994).

Action stage is one in which an individual has made overt, perceptible lifestyle modifications for fewer than 6 months (Prochaska et al., 1997).

Maintenance: these are working to prevent relapse and consolidate gains secured during A (Prochaska et al., 1992). Maintainers are distinguishable from those in the A stage in that they report the highest levels of self-efficacy and are less frequently tempted to relapse (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984).

For more information click here.

This is article #1 in a series on the Transtheoretical Model.

Idea Of The Day feature on GCASA Cares blog

Today,Sunday, October 12, 2008, GCASA Cares is starting a new feature on its blog called "Idea Of The Day". Idea of the day will have a short reference to some seminal, important idea which is useful in the substance abuse field in both treatment and prevention. Along with the suggested idea will be at least one reference to further information. If you would like to see a featured topic for "Idea Of The Day", let me know. Also, your comments about the idea are always welcome.