Health Behavior and Health Education
theory, research, and practice
theory, research, and practice
Stages of Change
Definition: a construct representing the temporal dimension of phases or steps through which individuals are believed to change (or not change) their behavior.
Stages of Change is best thought of as a cyclical and recycling process where individuals progress in order of stage but can relapse and recycle through stages several times; they may or may not ever reach the last stage.
Processes of Change
Definition: activities or events that people use to progress through stages
Cognitive-affective (experiential) processes:
Behavioral processes:
Decisional Balance: weighing of the pros and cons of changing a behavior
Self-Efficacy: the situation-specific confidence that people can engage in a healthy behavior across different challenging or high-risk situations
Temptation: the intensity of urges to engage in a specific behavior when in difficult or challenging situations