The Transtheoretical Model of Change (TMC) is investigated as a tool for explaining and diagnosing suicidal behavior. Investigators found in a sample of 42 hospitalized suicide ideators and attempters, that most patients had progressed through the stages of change as predicted by the TMC, and that ten change processes (psychological states or experiences) defined by the TMC, were used systematically in association with specific stages of change. Women were more likely to report using the change processes than men. Investigators conclude that the TMC holds promise as a tool for understanding suicidal behavior and for designing appropriate interventions.
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