In order to achieve acceptance and commitment to a new way of life, motivation must come from internal sources rather than external pressure. Weight loss entails changes in behavior that include changing diet and increasing exercise. However, underneath those manifest changes, there lies a deeper emotional change that also must occur to achieve success. Motivational Interviewing is a term used to describe a behavior psychology theory of how people truly accept and commit to change. In examining motivational interviewing, the benefit of applying it to weight becomes clear.
What is Motivational Theory?
Motivational interviewing is based on a theory in behavioral psychology relating to how a person knows when he or she is ready to truly accept and commit to changes in behavior. Developed by psychologists Stephen Rollnick and William Miller in the early 1980s, motivational interviewing has been used to help individuals battle various types of compulsive behaviors, including poor or compulsive eating habits. In their paper, "What is Motivational Interviewing?" Rollnick and Miller say that one of the goals of the theory is to gain "motivation to change from the inside rather than imposed from without." Another key concept is that each person begins the process of change from a different point.
Precontemplation
In expanding motivational interviewing, James Prochaska and Carlo Diclemente added stages of change and theorized that a person can best achieve acceptance and commitment to new behaviors if she first understands where she is in the changing process. The precontemplation stage is the first in the series of readiness. Here, motivation is almost entirely external and the desire to change has come from others being worried about the problem. At this stage, the first issue is to help the individual to understand that her lifestyle needs changing to achieve her goals.
Contemplation and Preparation
In the contemplation stage, the individual begins to accept that his behaviors need to be changed and he starts to deal with ambivalence toward a new lifestyle. It is here that a dieter will really start to consider what it will mean to give up favorite foods or learn to live with waking up earlier to exercise. Following contemplation, the preparation stage begins. Here the considerations in the contemplation stage transform into action and the reachable goals become set.
Action and Maintenance
In the action stage, commitment to change becomes clear. The individual has achieved internal motivation and modifies his habits and environment in order to achieve his goals. After the action stage has been successful, the individual enters in maintenance, where new behaviors have taken root. For weight loss, this means that new eating habits and an exercise plan have become part of life and progress toward the goal has been made.
Significance
Motivational interviewing applies well to weight loss because it directly discusses how to change behavior on a deep level. The first place to begin in setting goals for weight loss is to figure out the stage of change where a person is at the outset. In doing this, goals can be realistic and the chance for success will increase.
References
- "What is motivational interviewing?"; Stephen Rollnick and William Miller; Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology, 23, 325-334; 1995.
- "Transtheoretical Therapy: Toward a More Integrative Model of Change;" James Prochaska and Carlo Diclemente; 1982.
- "Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice"; John Summers-Flanagan and Rita Sommers-Flanagan; 2004.
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