Precontemplation is the first stage in the “stages of change” or “transtheoretical” model of addiction and behavior change.
When people are in the precontemplation stage, they typically do not consider their behavior to be a problem. This may be because they have not yet experienced any negative consequences of their behavior, or it may be a result of denial about the negativity or severity of the consequences they have experienced.
When people are at the precontemplation stage, they are often not very interested in hearing about negative consequences or advice to quit their addiction. They usually experience their addictive behavior as a positive or pleasant experience at this point.
However, negative consequences do eventually affect people engaging in addictive behavior, either as a result of an addiction developing (which, by definition, impacts on other areas of life), or as a result of other harms as a consequence of a single occasion of engaging in addictive behavior. These negative consequences can push the individual into the “contemplation” stage.
Sources:
Hartney, E., Orford, J., Dalton, S., Ferrins-Brown, M., Kerr, C. & Maslin, J. "Untreated Heavy Drinkers: a Qualitative and Quantitative Study of Dependence and Readiness to Change." Addiction Research & Theory, 11:317-337. 2003.
Prochaska, J., Velicer, W., Redding, C., Rossi, J., Goldstein, M., DePue, J., Greene, G., Rossi, S., Sun, X., Fava, J., Laforge, R., Rakowski, W. & Plummer, B. "Stage-based expert systems to guide a population of primary care patients to quit smoking, eat healthier, prevent skin cancer, and receive regular mammograms." Preventive Medicine, 41:406-416. 2005.
Segana, C., Borlanda, R. & Greenwood, K. "Can transtheoretical model measures predict relapse from the action stage of change among ex-smokers who quit after calling a quitline?" Addict Behav. 31:414-428. 2006.
Velicer, W. F., Hughes, S. L., Fava, J. L., Prochaska, J. O. & DiClemente, C. C. "An empirical typology of subjects within stage of change." Addict Behav. 20:299-320. 1995.
