The model assumes that the subjects cross 5 stages or stages in that they change his behavior of a form nonlinear, but spiral, because normally relapses take place locating to the subject in the phase of contemplation again, until if it is able to leave the addictive conduct completes all the process of change of behavior obtaining to finalize it. The stages are: PRECONTEMPLACIN: The person still does not have nor idea that she has a problem, nor that is going to have to try to solve it. According to Prochaska and DiClemente she is that she knows that has a problem, but is not conscious of him. CONTEMPLATION: In this stage it appears the conscience. More info: Eliot Horowitz. Prochaska and DiClemente locate to the subject in a state ambivalent: It considers and it rejects the change simultaneously, beginning to solve this ambivalence by the side of the change. It is decided to do something, that it is not just like to really do it.
PREPARATION: The subjects are preparations for the action and prepare, even a date of beginning. ACTION: Here already he is determined to change and it takes the necessary steps in that direction. When the person arrives at the phase takes place abiertamente modification of the problematic conduct. MAINTENANCE: One strives not to lose what it has obtained in the phase of action. It supposes a considerable work, because the fundamental task is to prevent the relapse.
The change begins to the six months to take place and finishes when the addictive conduct or of risk finalizes. The processes represent how the changes happen. They are manifest or concealed activities that realises the subject to leave its addiction. Tejero (1997) made a table with 10 processes of change: increase of awareness (intensification of the information with respect to the problem and the benefits to leave the conduct addictive), lightening by dramatisation, environmental re-evaluation and autorreevaluacin, that are the processes of change to happen of the precontemplation to the contemplation and the therapist has to affect them if the subject is in this stage.