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Updated: Aug 8, 2026
Computerized Dynamic Posturography for Postural Control Assessment in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
Published on: December 11, 2013
Stages of change in physical exercise: a test of stage discrimination and nonlinearity
Sonia Lippke1, Ronald C Plotnikoff
1Psychology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45 (PF10), 14195 Berlin, Germany. slippke@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Objectives:
To investigate the utility of the protection motivation theory (PMT), social-cognitive theory (SCT) and transtheoretical model's (TTM) processes of change (POC) by (1) discriminating between TTM's stages with planned comparisons and (2) examining higher-ordered trends across stages.
Methods:
1582 individuals were included in the analyses that tested severity, vulnerability, response-efficacy, self-efficacy, POC, pros and cons, social and environmental support.
Results:
The findings provide evidence for the utility of the PMT and TTM's POC for stage discrimination; stage discontinuity patterns are supported.
Conclusions:
Promotion of health behavior should target stage-specific variables, such as threat appraisals for early stage movements.
