In the Transtheoretical Model, what does the “Maintenance” stage entail?

In the Transtheoretical Model, the "Maintenance" stage is characterized by sustaining new behaviors after a change has been made. This stage follows the action phase, where individuals actively implement the new behaviors or modifications in their lives.

During maintenance, individuals work to prevent relapse and to solidify the changes as part of their ongoing lifestyle. The focus is on reinforcing habits, coping with triggers, and avoiding situations that may lead back to old patterns. People in this stage typically have maintained their new behaviors for at least six months and are committed to continuing these changes long-term. This entails not just the ability to persist with these behaviors but also enhancing their confidence that they can manage challenges that arise.

Each of the other options represents elements that do not accurately capture the essence of the maintenance phase, such as returning to old behaviors or adopting new behaviors for a limited period, which pertains to earlier stages of behavior change. Identifying new goals may also happen but is related more towards the progression of change rather than the stabilization of behavior that the maintenance stage emphasizes.