A 6-month investigation of exercise adoption from the contemplation stage of the transtheoretical model

Citation

Gorely T & Bruce D (2000) A 6-month investigation of exercise adoption from the contemplation stage of the transtheoretical model. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 1 (2), pp. 89-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292%2800%2900012-1

Abstract
Objectives: To investigate whether there are subtypes within the contemplation stage and to investigate whether self-efficacy and decisional balance changed in the manner predicted by the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) for individuals who adopted physical activity without intervention. Method: Participants were 118 adults (age range 18-66 years, mean=39.9 years) who were in contemplation at baseline. Participants completed two questionnaires assessing stage of exercise behaviour, self-efficacy and decisional balance 6 months apart. Results: Based on self-efficacy and pros and cons, three interpretable clusters were identified within the contemplation stage. Cluster membership influenced stage movement during the six months. Self-efficacy increased for those who adopted exercise and there was a significant increase in pros scores at 6 months for those who had recently adopted exercise. Conclusions: The existence of sub-stages indicates a true temporal order for the stages and has implications for closely tailoring interventions to the needs of the individual. Increasing self-efficacy and pros, and lowering cons is important in facilitating movement within the contemplation stage and from contemplation to action/maintenance.

Journal
Psychology of Sport and Exercise: Volume 1, Issue 2