Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, Article Critique Example

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to determine if TTM (Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change) was a practical for health education programs. The concept of this theory is that people go through changes over time and that those changes are a process. This process will lead to the adoption of a new behavior or the cessation of an unhealthy behavior that the patient is trying to stop. This theory is used as an education program for adults who are trying to use behavior modification to break a habit. The changes are divided into several stages or theoretical constructs. The precontemplation stage happens when the person is thinking about what changes need to made and how to go about those changes. During this stage the person may think of failing because they have a fear of failure. The person may feel overwhelmed by the barriers he/she needs to overcome to reach the goal. Next, the contemplation stage, happens when the person is thinking about the effects of the change over time. The person may be open to information about the positive effects of the change, and some are willing to accept help from others. People in this stage have not made up their minds to change, but are contemplating it. The preparation stage happens when the person has decided to make a change within a given amount of time. The person will begin to make small steps toward the change. When a person is engaging in the change, they are in the action stage. The person has committed to the change and is using energy to make it effective. They are encouraged by support from others who are helping them to establish the new habit by breaking old ones. Finally, maintenance is required. The person must decide how they will maintain the changes to continue reaching the goal or gaining the effect they want. One construct that was mentioned later was decisional balance. During this stage, the person weighs the pros and cons of making the change. This is often seen with people who are trying to break a smoking, drug, or alcohol addiction.

Methods

The program was devised for individuals aged 50 years and older. The program OASIS was organized with the national institute that oversees 26 cities around the nation. The center seeks to develop health education, disease prevention, and chronic disease management strategies for health implications. The program sought to promote active aging. The program is located predominantly in suburban areas. The mean age of participants in the program was 75. About 75 percent of the participants were women and 83 percent were White. The program was designed in several stages that are meant to gradually alter behavior of the client. The most important stage of the process is the process change stage which raises consciousness and reinforces management of the behavior. This stage promotes awareness activities and self-assessments designed to allow the client to identify his/her own risks while increasing commitment to change. The study was conducted from 1997-2000. The results showed that more than 90 percent of the participants were satisfied with the program and would recommend it to a friend. About 81 percent of the participants reported that they were able to self-manage using the strategies they were taught. Also, about 27 percent said that the program moved them forward in breaking specific behaviors that were detrimental to their health. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire prior to and post program.

Discussion

The most interesting finding was the fact that participants were able to self-manage behaviors when they realized how they were detrimentally affecting their health. For example, this is a huge discovery and could probably be implemented with people who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. These people know that use of these substances is detrimental to their health, but they cannot stop on their own. If this strategy is effective, this would be a great breakthrough in the treatment of addiction.

The major weakness of this study is the lack of data. I would have liked to have seen specific numbers on specific disorders. For example, if they were trying to implement exercising, I would have liked to see results on how many people continued to exercise after the program, the weight loss, and how many were able to maintain the behavior over a period of time. Also, these programs were only offered in suburban areas. People who live in these areas already have access to many programs. I would have like to see the study repeated in a rural area where people have limited resources. Finally, there should have been a comparison of the statistics for rural participants versus suburban participants.

The major strength of this program was the age of the participants. To have this much success with people over the age of 50 years old was great. People who are of that age have probably been struggling with these detrimental habits for a long period of time. If this program was able to remedy them, the chances are great that the program will also be able to help younger participants.

I believe this is a practical theory that health education programs could easily implement for patients of a wide range of ages. If implemented early, these behavior modifications could help to produce lifelong success for clients. These behavior modifications could also ensure that clients do not develop behaviors that could be detrimental to their health. This theory can prove to be a helpful tool that can be used in conjunction with other strategies to help clients with an array of problems that can be ceased through behavior modifications. This theory could possibly be implemented in other areas of life like, study habits. This theory implements the Expectancy-value theory because is proposes that a combination of beliefs and self-evaluations will produce either a negative or positive change that an individual will continue to use. In the case of the article, the researches obtained positive changes.

Works Cited

Lach, H., Everad, K., Highstein, G., & C. Brownson. (2004). Application of the Transtheoretical Model to Health Education for Older Adults. Health Promotion Practice, (5)88.