The Transtheoretical Model

A model for intentional behaviour change

In 1970, two behavioural scientists wanted to understand why some people could quit smoking on their own and why others needed outside help in order for them to quit.

These studies and experiments led Prochaska and DiClemente to discover that there are 5 stages we must go through in order to change our behaviour.

The Transtheoretical Model, or Stages of Change, suggests that behaviour change is continuous but our goal is that we move through each stage until we reach Maintenance, where we maintain our new behaviour as it becomes the norm.

The 5 Stages of Behaviour Change

1. Pre-contemplation

At this stage, we are usually unaware that our current behaviour is an issue. It’s who we are and will continue to be. There is no intention to change in the foreseeable future and we look for reasons not to change that behaviour.

2. Contemplation

Here we might recognise that there is something we could change but we are still against taking action any time soon. “At some point in the future I should probably quit smoking”. We have raised our level of awareness of a problematic behaviour and some point in the future we might do something about it.

3. Preparation

Now we are ready to take action in next few weeks. We’ve decided that something needs to change and we might start taking a few small steps to change our behaviour. After contemplating that we might change something, now we are preparing to take action.

4. Action

Here we are taking massive action to change our behaviour. We are actively pursuing an outcome and learning about ourselves in the process. We might be modifying our existing behaviour or adding a new mental toolkit to help us in our quest for change. We are up for the challenge and recognise that once we change our behaviour we will be in a better place for it.

5. Maintenance

We have managed to change our behaviour for a healthy period of time (6+ months) and now we want to maintain the new status quo. We are conscious that we could enter an earlier stage at any time (relapse) but we fully intend to keep our old behaviours at bay.

Recently a 6th stage has since been added to the original model, Termination, which is the end of maintaining our new behaviour change because we have done it long enough that it is now the norm but according to behavioural scientists this is rarely reached.

What does it mean for you?

If you’ve ever changed a behaviour it is very likely that you passed through the 5 stages. And unless you were already aware of the model, you did so without knowing it.

You may have spent years at one particular stage and just a few days at others but in the end you took action against your existing behaviour in favour for a better outcome.

In 1970 this model was determined for health related change like quitting smoking, but awareness of the 5 stages equip us to understand how to change our behaviours and habits more generally too.

Awareness of the 5 stages allows us to understand the journey of change a little better, recognising where we currently fit in the cycle and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

One thing I love about this model is that it completely eliminates any idea we have of behaviour change happening overnight.

The model shines a light on the reality of changing our behaviours. It takes time and effort. If it was easy we would all be living perfect lives. So I I like to think of The Transtheoretical Model not as a model but as a roadmap.

A roadmap towards personal transformation.

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If you missed the last edition, you can read that here - Devil makes work for idle hands