Which of the following is NOT a recommended practice when assessing readiness to change health behaviors?

• A. Use stages of change model; precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance.
• B. Press the client to change immediately, even if not ready.
• C. Use open-ended questions to explore ambivalence.
• D. Collaborate to set small steps.

Answer: (B)

Assessing readiness to change is about meeting the client where they are in their readiness journey and supporting them without forcing a quick switch. The most effective approach uses the stages of change framework, recognizing that people may be in precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, or maintenance, and that strategies should fit that stage. Pressing a client to change immediately ignores their current place in that process, can provoke defensiveness, and often undermines trust and motivation.

Using open-ended questions to explore ambivalence helps the client articulate both reasons for and against change, uncoverting concerns, values, and barriers that matter to them. This fosters intrinsic motivation and clarifies what needs to shift for change to happen. Collaborating to set small, achievable steps builds confidence and provides clear, manageable targets, making progress more likely and sustainable. In practice, you would gauge the client’s stage, listen nonjudgmentally, and co-create tiny steps the client feels ready to try.