Relationship between readiness for and processes of change in a sample of alcohol dependent males

Previous research (Isenhart, 1997) has shown a relationship between pre-treatment stages of change and outcome. The objective of this project was to evaluate whether certain processes of change measures predicted stages of change measures. A stepwise multiple regression model used Contemplation, Determination, and Action scores as dependent variables and process of change scores and measures of alcohol dependence severity and pre-treatment alcohol consumption as independent variables. The only process of change scale consistently correlated with the Contemplation, Determination, and Action scales was Self-reevaluation. Self-reevaluation was negatively correlated with Contemplation and positively correlated with Determination and Action. These results suggest that as patients become more discouraged and frustrated with their alcohol use, they experience less ambivalence, are more likely to acknowledge that a problem exists, and are more willing to take action to address that problem. Implications and limitations of these findings are provided and inconsistencies between previous studies and these results are discussed.