[Motivational readiness for chronic pain patients]

Readiness to change attitudes and behavior is an important prerequisite for coping with chronic pain in respect to self management. Using the transtheoretical model (TTM), the stages are described as precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. The process depends on the patient's decisional balance as well as the subjective weighting of the advantages and disadvantages of certain behavior patterns; the level of self efficacy also plays a role. To encourage the readiness to change and self motivation, a helpful concept to be used in medical and psychological consultations is motivational interviewing, whereby together with the patient, the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the necessary changes are considered. Giving more weight to the advantages is attempted in order to move the decisional balance in the direction of behavioral change and maintenance.