This is the first study to develop a measure to assess
readiness to eliminate credit card debt for consumers in
credit card debt troubles using the Transtheoretical
Model of Change (TTM). TTM includes key constructs
such as stages of change, decisional balance, selfefficacy
(confidence), and processes of change. Both
qualitative and quantitative approaches have been used
to collect information from experts in credit counseling
and from consumers with credit card debt troubles for
the item development. The measure includes eight
items for decisional balance, six for self-efficacy, and
24 items for processes of change. External validity tests
have been conducted that provide evidence of the
validity of applying TTM to consumer debt behavior