Behavior Modification

• Transtheoretical model posits that health behavior change involves progress through six stages of change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination.
• PRE-CONTEMPLATION

  • Do not intend to take action in the foreseeable future.
  • Unaware that their behavior is problematic/produces negative consequences.
  • Underestimate the pros of changing behavior and place too much emphasis on the cons of behavior.
  • Down and Defensive
• CONTEMPLATION

  • Getting ready– intention to engage in the behavior; 2 years.
  • Appreciates the positives of change (may still try to avoid action)
  • Beginning to think about changing their behavior.
• PREPARATION

  • Ready within the 30 days
  • Has the thinking that changing behavior can lead to a healthier life
  • Gradual steps to fit into their life
  • Think of it like a pre-game warm up
• ACTION

  • Doing the behavior and need to keep working hard
  • Useful to learn techniques to enhance commitment
• MAINTENANCE

  Changed and sustained behaviour

  Share experiences and seek support

  Important to be self-aware

  Need to be challenged

  Feel competent to overcome barriers (self-efficacy)
• RELAPSE

  Fall back into old patterns of behavior.
• CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING

  Increasing awareness about the healthy behavior.

  Comes in the form of self-observation, interpretations, evaluations, conversations.

  Centered on the impact, cost, loss, or harm resulting from the behavior or the benefits arising from potential new behavior
• DRAMATIC RELIEF

  Pays attention to emotions and feelings.

  Characterized by one experiencing and expressing emotions and feelings about the problem behavior, grieving losses, and role playing as a tool to produce insight.

  Expressing emotions become a vehicle for change.
• SELF-REEVALUATION

  Create a new positive self-image.

  Individuals realize that the new healthy pattern of behavior is an important part of who they are and aspire to be.

  Foster the emotional and cognitive reappraisal or clarification of values with respect to the problem behavior and life circumstances resulting from it.
• ENVIRONMENTAL-REEVALUATION

  Notice impact on others.

  Characterized by individuals assessing and considering how the problem behavior affects their physical and social environment, taking stock of the impact, cost, loss, or harm to others.

  Empathy training Individuals realize how their unhealthy pattern of behavior negatively affects others and how they can have more positive effects by changing their behavior
• SOCIAL LIBERATION

  Notice public support and gain alternatives.

  Individuals increase awareness and acceptance that alternative, problem-free, healthy lifestyles in society exist and are available to them.

  Individuals realize that society is more supportive of their new healthier behavior.
• SELF LIBERATION

  Make choices and commitments.

  Practiced in new decision-making strategies, commitment enhancing techniques, resolutions, and exploration to find purpose and meaning in life.

  Individuals believe in their ability to change and make choices, commitments, and re commitments to act on their belief and stay the course for their changed behavior.
• STIMULUS CONTROL

  Observe and manage environment.

  Individuals learn to how to observe and evaluate their environment and identify causes which trigger or activate their emotions and move them toward the problem behavior.

  Individuals use reminders and cues that encourage healthy behavior as substitutes for those that encourage unhealthy patterns of behavior
• HELPING RELATIONSHIPS

  Get help and support.

  Characterized by individuals accepting, trusting, and utilizing the support of caring others during attempts to change the problem behavior. Seeking and accepting help from a broad range of social groups and professionals is the focus of this process
• REINFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT

  Use of rewards.

  Characterized by rewarding oneself or accepting rewards from others for making changes in one’s behavior, building contingency contracts, and overtly or covertly reinforcing ones behavior through self-rewards