Development of a treatment version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire

A treatment version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (the RCQ[TV] w as developed among a sample of 263 clients attending treatment for alcohol problems. The psychometric properties of this new instrument were shown to be adequate for research and clinical purposes, although further work is ne eded to strengthen the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Contemplation scale. It was not found possible to include a Preparation or a Maintenance stage in the RCQ[TV] and subjects are therefore allocated to Precontemplation, Contemplation or Action stages of change. Significant relationships were found between allocated stage of change and level of al cohol consumption, items measuring motivation to change drinking habits, le ngth of time in treatment and whether or nor the subject has previously rec eived treatment for an alcohol problem. Subjects allocated to the Contempla tion stage at initial assessment were less likely to show a good treatment outcome at six months follow-up than those allocated to the Action stage, e ven after the effects of time in treatment were taken into account. Clinici ans currently using the original RCQ in a treatment population should now u se the RCQ[TV].