In-line with earlier evidence, contemplation significantly predicted therapeutic alliance.
Concerning stages of change and therapeutic alliance associations, correlational analyses revealed, as predicted, that association of precontemplation at t1 was significantly negative and contemplation at t1 was significantly positive with emotional bond and agreement on collaboration.
Referring to the criterion-related validity, outcome was significantly predicted by the contemplation, action, and maintenance subscales as well as by the committed action global score.
Concerning predictive effects on therapeutic alliance, the contemplation score significantly predicted emotional bond, R = .45, p < .01; as well as agreement on collaboration, R = .40, p < .01.01
Pain patients who expressed a likely intent to join an EPP class scored significantly higher on the contemplation scale (mean = 37.26) compared with those who expressed uncertainty or said they were unlikely to join (mean = 31.78), (CI = 2.51 to 8.45).
Results reveal that the Contemplation group perceive significantly higher constraints from nursing-related (t = −2.514, p = 0.012) and intrapersonal leisure constraints (t = −2.324, p = 0.021).
Pre-contemplation was negatively associated with pain willingness and, to a lesser degree but in the same direction, with activities engagement, contemplation was also significantly negatively associated with pain willingness (to a lesser degree) but not with activities engagement.
The results also demonstrate that the Contemplation group has a significantly higher degree of constraint than the Action group for intrapersonal and breastfeeding-related leisure constraints.
Women in the Precontemplation stage had significantly higher negative attitude scores compared to Contemplation and Action/Maintenance stages (59.7, 45.7, and 43.2, respectively), and there was a trend for more barriers in the Precontemplation group (4.6, 2.6, 2.7 respectively).
However, self-efficacy remained constant between precontemplation, contemplation and preparation, but women in action showed significantly higher levels.
