Decisional Balance
A decisional balance highlights the individual's ambivalence (maintaining versus changing a behavior). It leverages the costs versus the benefits.
Conducting a Decisional Balance
- Accept ALL answers
- Explore answers
- Note both the benefits and the costs of current behavior and change
- Explore costs/benefits with patient/client's goals and values
Examples
Read the following statements by a patient/client. TAP to see how you could explore the costs and benefits.
I know my diabetes gets out of control when I drink. I wish I could be able to drink, but I hate feeling
like I don't know what will happen with my blood sugar.
It sounds like drinking has an impact on your health because of your diabetes, but you also feel
frustrated that that you have to give up things you like.