Table of Contents
Description
The University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA) – Psychotherapy Version is a tool designed to assess an individual’s readiness to change regarding psychological or behavioral issues. It is grounded in the Transtheoretical Model, which highlights the stages individuals typically go through when addressing personal change. The scale consists of various items that help clinicians gauge a client’s motivation and readiness for change, allowing for tailored interventions that align with the client’s current stage. This assessment tool is utilized within psychotherapeutic settings and can significantly contribute to personalized treatment planning, making it valuable for practitioners and researchers in psychology.
Authors and Contact Email
McConnaughy, E. A., Prochaska, J. O., and Velicer, W. F. (1983). Information not available.
Purpose
The primary purpose of URICA is to measure an individual’s readiness to change, providing insights into their motivational stage concerning psychotherapy and personal development.
Test Year
Initially developed in 1983.
Administration Method and Scoring
URICA can be administered in a variety of settings, usually via self-report questionnaires. Respondents indicate their level of agreement with each item on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). The scoring involves tallying responses to categorize individuals into different stages of change: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance.
Reliability and Validity
Studies have demonstrated high reliability and validity for the URICA across different populations. Grencavage et al. (2001) reported coefficients for the stages as follows: Precontemplation (.80), Contemplation (.67), Action (.83), Maintenance (.86). Pantalon et al. (2002) also provided values indicating similar reliability levels across stages: Precontemplation (.75), Contemplation (.79), Action (.83), Maintenance (.78).
Factors and Subscales
The scale includes four key factors reflecting different stages of change: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance.
Keywords
University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale, URICA, Psychotherapy, Readiness to Change, Transtheoretical Model.
Items of ‘University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA) – Psychotherapy Version’
1. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have any problems that need changing.
2. I think I might be ready for some self-improvement.
3. I am doing something about the problems that had been bothering me.
4. It might be worthwhile to work on my problem.
5. I’m not the problem one. It doesn’t make much sense for me to be here.
6. It worries me that I might slip back on a problem I have already changed, so I am here to seek help.
7. I am finally doing some work on my problems.
8. I’ve been thinking that I might want to change something about myself.
9. I have been successful in working on my problem but I’m not sure I can keep up the effort on my own.
10. At times my problem is difficult, but I’m working on it.
11. Trying to change is pretty much a waste of time for me because the problem doesn’t have to do with me.
12. I’m hoping this place will help me to better understand myself.
13. I guess I have faults, but there’s nothing that I really need to change.
14. I am really working hard to change.
15. I have a problem and I really think I should work on it.
16. I’m not following through with what I had already changed as well as I had hoped, and I’m here to prevent a relapse of the problem.
17. Even though I’m not always successful in changing, I am at least working on my problem.
18. I thought once I had resolved the problem I would be free of it, but sometimes I still find myself struggling with it.
19. I wish I had more ideas on how to solve my problem.
20. I have started working on my problems but I would like help.
21. Maybe this place will be able to help me.
22. I may need a boost right now to help me maintain the changes I’ve already made.
23. I may be part of the problem, but I don’t really think I am.
24. I hope that someone here will have some good advice for me.
25. Anyone can talk about changing; I’m actually doing something about it.
26. All this talk about psychology is boring. Why can’t people just forget about their problems?
27. I’m here to prevent myself from having a relapse of my problem.
28. It is frustrating, but I feel I might be having a recurrence of a problem I thought I had resolved.
29. I have worries but so does the next person. Why spend time thinking about them?
30. I am actively working on my problem.
31. I would rather cope with my faults than try to change them.
32. After all I had done to try and change my problem, every now and then it comes back to haunt me.
2. I think I might be ready for some self-improvement.
3. I am doing something about the problems that had been bothering me.
4. It might be worthwhile to work on my problem.
5. I’m not the problem one. It doesn’t make much sense for me to be here.
6. It worries me that I might slip back on a problem I have already changed, so I am here to seek help.
7. I am finally doing some work on my problems.
8. I’ve been thinking that I might want to change something about myself.
9. I have been successful in working on my problem but I’m not sure I can keep up the effort on my own.
10. At times my problem is difficult, but I’m working on it.
11. Trying to change is pretty much a waste of time for me because the problem doesn’t have to do with me.
12. I’m hoping this place will help me to better understand myself.
13. I guess I have faults, but there’s nothing that I really need to change.
14. I am really working hard to change.
15. I have a problem and I really think I should work on it.
16. I’m not following through with what I had already changed as well as I had hoped, and I’m here to prevent a relapse of the problem.
17. Even though I’m not always successful in changing, I am at least working on my problem.
18. I thought once I had resolved the problem I would be free of it, but sometimes I still find myself struggling with it.
19. I wish I had more ideas on how to solve my problem.
20. I have started working on my problems but I would like help.
21. Maybe this place will be able to help me.
22. I may need a boost right now to help me maintain the changes I’ve already made.
23. I may be part of the problem, but I don’t really think I am.
24. I hope that someone here will have some good advice for me.
25. Anyone can talk about changing; I’m actually doing something about it.
26. All this talk about psychology is boring. Why can’t people just forget about their problems?
27. I’m here to prevent myself from having a relapse of my problem.
28. It is frustrating, but I feel I might be having a recurrence of a problem I thought I had resolved.
29. I have worries but so does the next person. Why spend time thinking about them?
30. I am actively working on my problem.
31. I would rather cope with my faults than try to change them.
32. After all I had done to try and change my problem, every now and then it comes back to haunt me.
References
– Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages of change in psychotherapy: Measurement and sample profiles. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice, 20, 368-375.
– Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). Stages of change in psychotherapy: A follow-up report. Psychotherapy, 26(4), 494-503.
– Grencavage et al. (2001). Information not available.
– Pantalon et al. (2002). Information not available.
– URI Change Assessment Scale can be found at: http://habitslab.umbc.edu/urica/
– Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). Stages of change in psychotherapy: A follow-up report. Psychotherapy, 26(4), 494-503.
– Grencavage et al. (2001). Information not available.
– Pantalon et al. (2002). Information not available.
– URI Change Assessment Scale can be found at: http://habitslab.umbc.edu/urica/