During the maintenance stage of change, what is the primary goal?

During the maintenance stage of change, what is the primary goal?

• A. Identify new health risks.
• B. Assess readiness to change.
• C. Reinforce new behavior and prevent relapse.
• D. Discontinue smoking entirely.

Answer: (C)

In the maintenance stage, the main aim is to sustain the new behavior and prevent relapse. After the initial change has been made, the focus shifts to keeping that change going over the long term, integrating it into daily life, and having strategies to handle triggers or lapses so they don’t lead back to old habits. This involves ongoing support, monitoring, and practicing coping skills to maintain the progress. The other options don’t fit this stage as well: identifying new health risks is more about awareness and motivating change earlier; assessing readiness to change occurs before taking action; and simply discontinuing smoking describes the quit moment, whereas maintenance centers on keeping the behavior up and avoiding relapse over time.

In the maintenance stage, the main aim is to sustain the new behavior and prevent relapse. After the initial change has been made, the focus shifts to keeping that change going over the long term, integrating it into daily life, and having strategies to handle triggers or lapses so they don’t lead back to old habits. This involves ongoing support, monitoring, and practicing coping skills to maintain the progress.

The other options don’t fit this stage as well: identifying new health risks is more about awareness and motivating change earlier; assessing readiness to change occurs before taking action; and simply discontinuing smoking describes the quit moment, whereas maintenance centers on keeping the behavior up and avoiding relapse over time.