Which stage of change involves preparing to take action and often includes listing anticipated benefits?

• A. Preparation
• B. Pre-contemplation
• C. Contemplation
• D. Action

Answer: (A)

Understanding readiness to act within the stages of change framework is being tested here. In the preparation stage, people intend to take action soon and start making concrete plans, often including listing anticipated benefits to boost motivation and map out steps. This combination of planning and weighing the positive outcomes is characteristic of preparation. By contrast, in contemplation people weigh pros and cons without committing to action, in pre-contemplation there may be little awareness of the need to change, and in action the person is already enacting the new behavior rather than preparing.