The Four Stages of Behavior Change

Behavior change, in a medical context, refers to attempts to alter people's behavioral patterns and attitudes to avoid disease. Behavior change in the public sector is also referred to as community and public health communication. The term "behavior modification" encompasses a wide variety of interventions that aim at modifying people's risky behaviors. These may include but are not limited to classroom, school or residential treatments, programs, and other forms of interventions.


These days, a lot of attention is being focused on the effects of behavior change interventions on public image. A survey shows that the majority of people feel that some behaviors (eg smoking, drinking, overeating) are beyond their control, and that these behaviors cause negative effects on their health, social life and relationships. It is therefore important to modify these behaviors in order to achieve desirable goals. In short, the key to successful change is in understanding and controlling our own thoughts and feelings.

The concept of behavior change was first introduced in 1965 by B.F. Skinner. He suggested that the goal of schooling should be to teach children how to behave based on previous experience rather than on their own spontaneous decisions. This theory has since become one of the foundations of many school systems all over the world. However, as the theory continues to gain more ground, there is increasing debate on whether this theory is realistic or not. Some critics argue that because behavior is influenced by previous experience, a change in the school system will not affect a child's behaviors in a positive way.

To illustrate this point, consider a child who suffers from a shyness problem. To solve his problem, the parents can easily change the child's behavior by introducing him to new situations and allowing him to explore his latent capacities. But by doing so, the parents will also introduce a new problem behavior into the child's life. For example, if he was previously shy, when he is put into a new situation where he is required to speak in front of a group of people, he may speak up without hesitation. However, if he were to do this same behavior in front of a closed, internalised voice, he may develop an extreme shyness instead.

To help people change their behavior, they must learn to understand the four stages of the behavior change process. At the first stage, the individual is unaware of what is happening to him or her and where the problem lies. This stage may last for some time until the individual comes to terms with the fact that they have a problem and that they need help to get rid of it. During this stage, parents can help their child by providing emotional support and by encouraging them to talk about their feelings. It is important to remember that talking and expressing ones' feelings at this stage will not make the problem go away.

The second stage is when the person starts to realise that the problem is in fact a problem and that their reactions are actually causing the problems. At this stage, they may recognise that they have a problem. To continue to the third stage, which is to take action, they must be aware of their actions and reactions. Parents can help their children by helping them to define certain unwanted behaviors and reactions. This helps the individual to understand how to deal with these situations and their own personal feelings about them. The fourth and final stage is where the person actually begins to act on their wishes and what they want to achieve.

The preparation stage is the most important part of behavior change and relapse prevention. People must understand that although they are aware of a problem, this does not mean that they can easily resolve them. For this reason, they need to think carefully about their actions and the way they will react once their problems have been fully recognised. The preparation stage will also ensure that they have a plan for dealing with future setbacks.

Once the individual has identified areas of difficulty and prepared suitable interventions, they may need help to design a treatment plan. This is when they should seek help from a qualified therapist or psychologist. These professionals will give them the advice they need on both how to overcome their problems and devise new ways to help people change their behavior. They should also be equipped to help the person through the difficult initial phases of implementing their new ways of behaving so that they do not relapse. All therapists and psychologists are able to give good advice on these four key intervention steps.