title: Evaluating the decisional balance construct of the Transtheoretical Model: are two dimensions of pros and cons really enough?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Transtheoretical Model of behavior change (TTM) postulates that behavior change is a process involving progress through five distinct stages of change (SOC). One of the key components for progress to a later stage is decisional balance (pros and cons of changing to the target behavior). The goal of the present study is to test the two dimensions of decisional balance as postulated in the TTM in the context of exercising behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analyses are based on data from an online survey of 266 freshman students at the University of Zurich; participants self-reported their frequency of exercising and their weighing of the importance of 49 pros and cons of exercising.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate that a two-dimensional solution of decisional balance is insufficient. The analysis of pros and cons of exercising yielded a seven-factor solution with in part different progressions through the SOC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the subdivision into different pros and cons, intervention programs can be developed that better match the needs of participants in terms of fostering and decreasing the most important pros and cons of exercising.
authors.affiliation: Social and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestr 14, Box 14, 8050, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kroll
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Urte
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perren
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003657:Decision Making; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult