A 28-year-old female who has been vaping wants to reduce vaping and stop before trying to conceive. Which stage of the Prochaska & DiClemente cycle of change is she currently at?

• A. Contemplation
• B. Preparation
• C. Action
• D. Maintenance

Answer: (B)

The main concept being tested is identifying the Preparation stage in the Prochaska & DiClemente cycle of change. Preparation is when someone intends to take action in the near future and may start taking small steps toward change. In this case, the person already intends to reduce vaping and stop before conceiving, which shows a plan and near-term commitment rather than vague consideration. This differs from contemplation, where the person recognizes the need to change but hasn’t committed to concrete steps; it also differs from action, where the change is actually underway, and from maintenance, where the new behavior is being sustained over time. To move into action, she would implement the quit plan and begin actively stopping vaping, with ongoing efforts to maintain the change.