NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Patient Care Coordination and EducationHard
A medical assistant is educating a patient about managing their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient states, 'I understand what you're saying, but I've been smoking for 40 years, and I don't think anything will help now.' Which stage of change, according to the Transtheoretical Model, does this patient's statement most likely represent?
- APrecontemplation
- BContemplation
- CAction
- DPreparation
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Contemplation
The patient acknowledges the problem ('I understand what you're saying') but expresses doubt about their ability to change ('I don't think anything will help now'), which is characteristic of the contemplation stage, where individuals are aware of the problem but ambivalent about changing.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Precontemplation involves no intention to change and often denial of a problem.
- C. Action involves actively modifying behavior or environment.
- D. Preparation involves intending to take action in the near future and making small steps.
Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change)
A model describing the stages individuals go through when changing a behavior: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance, often with relapse.
- Helps tailor interventions to patient's readiness.
- Change is a process, not a single event.
- Ambivalence is characteristic of contemplation.
Memory trick: PC-PAM: People Change, Plan, Act, Maintain.