Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49 ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ Ageing ...

Rapporti ISTISAN 09/49
2.17.4. Some methods to measure the stages of change
Two main methods have been used to measure stages of change (Sutton, 2001):
- Staging algorithms
A small number of questionnaire items are used. The participants are allocated to one of
the stages. It is not possible to be in more than one stage at a given time point. Staging
algorithms have been used in several studies to classify smokers or drug addicted people.
- Multidimensional approach
Several multidimensional instruments were developed for example:
- University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA)
The instrument consists of 32 items. The items refer to the subject’s problem and do
not specify a particular problem behaviour. The URICA is mainly used in clinical
context (McConnaughy et al., 1983)
- Readiness of Change Questionnaire (RCQ)
The questionnaire consists of 12 items and was designed to measure stage of change
with respect to reducing alcohol consumption. The RCQ focuses on three critical
stages: precontemplation, contemplation and action (Rollnick et al., 1992).
- Stages of change readiness and treatment eagerness scale SOCRATES
SOCRATES was designed to measures stages of change for people with alcohol
problems. It is a 20-item scale (Miller & Tonigan, 1996).
4.17.5. Pros and cons TTM
The TTM is based on critical assumptions about the nature of behavioural change and about
the interventions that can best facilitate such change.
The model has the following advantages:
- The model is constructed on the basis of other important behaviour models. It enables to
explain the complex human behaviour in a more comprehensive and adequate way.
- Many models only consider those people who are willing to change their behaviour. The
TTM can be applied also for people who even have not thought about changing their risk
and unhealthy behaviours and habits (precontemplation, contemplation).
- Interventions in the different stages have to look differently. This means the model makes
it possible to take more targeted actions.
- The model considers stagnation and regression of a process.
- Not only the actual change of behaviour is considered as success, but every single step
from one stage to the other.
- The model is relatively simple and can be easily applied for different risk or unhealthy
behaviours
- If interventionists are to match the needs of entire population, they need to know the stage
distributions of specific high-risk behaviours.
With respect to the cons the following aspects can be mentioned:
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