Which list correctly lists the five stages of change?

Which list correctly lists the five stages of change?

• A. Denial, Bargaining, Acceptance, Action, Maintenance
• B. Planning, Doing, Reflecting, Finishing
• C. Awareness, Consideration, Decision, Implementation, Sustaining
• D. Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance

Answer: (D)

The five stages of change describe a person’s readiness to change behavior, moving through a proven sequence: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance. This list matches that exact order and terminology, which is why it’s the correct choice. The other options pull from different models or use different labels, such as the stages of grief (Denial, Bargaining, Acceptance) or alternative sequences (Planning/Doing/Reflecting/Finishing, or Awareness/Consideration/Decision/Implementation/Sustaining), so they don’t align with the established five-stage change model.

The five stages of change describe a person’s readiness to change behavior, moving through a proven sequence: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance. This list matches that exact order and terminology, which is why it’s the correct choice. The other options pull from different models or use different labels, such as the stages of grief (Denial, Bargaining, Acceptance) or alternative sequences (Planning/Doing/Reflecting/Finishing, or Awareness/Consideration/Decision/Implementation/Sustaining), so they don’t align with the established five-stage change model.