ACE Personal Trainer Practice Exam

What is the primary goal during the maintenance stage of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change?

1. Increase physical activity

2. Prevent relapse and maintain continued activity

3. Initiate new fitness routines

4. Set new health goals

The correct answer is: Prevent relapse and maintain continued activity

During the maintenance stage of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change, the primary goal is to prevent relapse and maintain continued activity. At this stage, individuals have typically adopted a new behavior and are focused on sustaining it over the long term. Maintaining an ongoing commitment to physical activity is crucial to ensure that the changes made become ingrained as part of their lifestyle. Preventing relapse is significant because many individuals fall back into old habits if they are not actively working to sustain their new behaviors. Therefore, strategies such as reinforcing positive habits, employing social support systems, and finding enjoyable ways to remain active are important aspects of this stage. The other options, while relevant to different stages of behavioral change, do not encapsulate the fundamental aim during maintenance. The focus here isn’t on initiating new routines or setting new goals but rather on solidifying and maintaining what has already been achieved to ensure lasting change.