INTENTIONAL CHANGESA FRESH APPROACH TO HELPING PEOPLE CHANGE

Allen ToughSonya JacobsADE 6966 – Master’s Seminar 2013

Allen Tough 1936-2012 Canadian Adult

Educator, Futurist, Researcher, Author

Prof Emeritus University of Toronto

Self Directed Learning

Informal Learning SETI(search for

extraterrestrial intelligence)

Books 1967: Learning Without a

Teacher 1971: The Adult's

Learning Projects 1982: Intentional Changes 1991: Crucial Questions

About the Future 1995: A Message from Future

Generations 2000: When SETI Succeeds:

The Impact of High-Information Contact

Chapters1. Focusing on Intentional Changes2. Areas of Change3. The Size and Importance of Intentional

Changes4. Who Chooses, Plans, and Implements the

Changes5. Implications for Improving Professional

Practice and Policy6. An Optimum Amount of Professional

Control7. Significant Directions for Research8. An Optimistic Future for Intentional

Changes

Objectives and Results Study A comprehensive study focusing on intentional changes among adults.

Different approaches to the way adults implement change Conducted personal interviews with 150 individuals (Canada, the

United States, and England) Each person was asked to asked to recall their largest, most

important intentional change during the past two years Almost all of the 150 respondents reported significant changes, and

31 percent were able to describe “a huge or enormous change” within the two year period.

Change contains two key elements• Choice (conscious choice, with intention, not coerced, voluntary • Striving or action (The person took steps to achieve change) Findings

Table 1- Areas of Change

Area PercentageCareer, job, and training 33Human relationships, emotions, and self-perception

21

Enjoyable activities 11Residence location 10Maintenance of home and finances

7

Physical health 7Volunteer helping activities3 3Religion 3Basic competence (in reading, driving, etc.)

3Each figure indicates the percentage of adults whose largest, most important intentional change in the past two years falls primarily within the given area. N = 144. Source: Allen Tough. Intentional Changes: A Fresh Approach to Helping People Change. Chicago: Follett.,1982, p. 26.

Table 2 – Extent to Which Various Resources Contributed to Choosing, Planning, and Implementing the Changes

Resource Choosing Planning ImplementingThe person himself/herself 68 69 73Non-professionals in individual one to one interaction 23 19 16In a group 2 2 1Professionals in individual one to one interaction 3 7 6

In a group 0.3 1 2Books/other resources

4 4 2

For each of the three tasks in turn, each interviewee distributed 100 percentage points among the various resources. This table presents the means of those percentages. Source: Allen Tough. Intentional Changes: A Fresh Approach to Helping People Change. New York: Chicago: Follett.,1982, p. 53.

Implications for Improving Professional Practice and Policy1. Improve individual

competence and managing change

2. Develop better help with goals and planning

3. Increase information about opportunities and resources

4. Reduce undue restriction on freedom of choice

5. Widen the range of opportunities and resources

6. Improve ongoing support from nonprofessionals

7. Improve the effectiveness of professional helpers

An Optimum Amount of Professional Control

Continuum of Control

0 100%

___________________________________________Person has zero control because the help has complete control Person retains 100% of control

Who controls the Choice of the Change, Strategy Decisions, Implementation Activities?

Chapters 7 & 8

Place of Intentional Changes within all changes

Basic surveys of Intentional changes

Causes of over control Needs for Additional

help

Significant Directions for Policy and Practice

Implications for Research

Achieving the full potential

Significant Directions for ResearchAn Optimistic Future for Intentional

Changes

Reference:

Tough, A. (1982) Intentional Changes: A fresh approach to helping people change. Chicago: Follett.