Helping The "Stuck" Youth With Change

By:Janae S.

        People often wonder are the youth in society capable of changing their behavior, It all begins with helping the youth identifying the certain behavioral problem. An an advocate In order to help the youth in the change process, I can tailor the intervention, but this is not to convince the youth to change their behavior It's to help them move along the stages of change. By starting with a brief and simple advice, it would help makes sense because some youths will change their behavior at the directive of their advocate.

        Well-phrased questions will leave the youths pondering about the answers that are right for them and will help them along the process of change. Some questions advocates ask are: “What makes you want to change at the time?” or “What do you think you need to learn about changing?”. Questions should always ask about successes, difficulties, strategies to help the youth overcome different barriers.

         Below are the following 7 stages people go through in making important changes in their behaviors. All of the stages are important because we learn from each stage. Many people tend to don't go through all of the stages, and for others its takes several times before the change really lasts.

The seven stages of change:

1. Pre-contemplation:(Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed)
2. Contemplation: (Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change)
3. Preparation/Determination: (Getting ready to change)
4. Action/Willpower: (Changing behavior)
5. Maintenance: (Maintaining the behavioral change)
6. Relapse: (Returning to older behaviors and abandoning the new change)
7. Transcendence:(accepting old behaviors as destructive and abnormal)

       As individuals, it is important to recognize where you are in the cycle of change, so you can set appropriate goals and action steps for your life. At some point in everyone's life there comes a moment when people begin to realize they need to change. It comes down to motivation between those who successfully make the changes and those who do not. Most of us recognize that change is not an event that suddenly occurs, but it is a process that gradually starts to unfolds over time. 

Sources:

http://www.amhc.org/1408-addictions/article/48539-motivation-for-change-the-stages-of-change-model

http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/activities/stages-readiness-change

Images:

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