Concepts
Health psychology/Models & behaviour · Behavioural model
Stages of change
What it means
The Transtheoretical (Prochaska & DiClemente) model: precontemplation → contemplation → preparation → action → maintenance, with possible relapse; matches the intervention to the stage.
Worked example
A smoker "not interested in quitting" (precontemplation) needs different input from one setting a quit date (preparation).
In the exam
A patient who says he has no intention of stopping drinking is at a different point in the change process from one who has booked a detox for next week, and is helped differently.
What settles it
Stages of change is a STAGED process of readiness over time. The Health Belief Model is a static weighing of beliefs at one moment.
Classically confused with
Health Belief Model
Source: Prochaska & DiClemente