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45 - Motivational Interviewing Interventions

from Part III - Behavior Change Interventions: Practical Guides to Behavior Change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2020

By
Anne H. Berman ,
Maria Beckman  and
Helena Lindqvist
Edited by
Martin S. Hagger ,
Linda D. Cameron ,
Kyra Hamilton ,
Nelli Hankonen  and
Taru Lintunen
Martin S. Hagger
Affiliation:
University of California, Merced
Linda D. Cameron
Affiliation:
University of California, Merced
Kyra Hamilton
Affiliation:
Griffith University
Nelli Hankonen
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Taru Lintunen
Affiliation:
University of Jyväskylä
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Summary

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a method of eliciting individuals’ inner motivation to change their behavior. MI is typically delivered within health care settings as well as in occupational and educational settings and in multiple populations. MI builds on practice skills that are relational and technical, aiming to evoke and reinforce client utterances in the direction of behavior change, termed change talk, and to reduce client utterances in the direction of maintaining current behaviors, termed sustain talk. Meta-analyses show that MI training leads to increased practice of relational and technical skills, and practice of relational and technical skills are related to change talk. Technical skills increase the proportion of change talk in relation to sustain talk. Sustain talk has a negative effect on behavioral outcomes, but change talk has a positive effect on behavioral outcomes. Meta-analyses also show positive effects of MI over six months in reducing or eliminating binge drinking, alcohol consumption, problematic substance use, and smoking, and increasing physical activity in chronic illness patients. Studies have shown positive effects of MI on behavior change in a range of behaviors and populations. A step-by-step guide to MI outlines typical intervention content, target populations and behaviors, practitioner training and skills required, and evaluation of fidelity and effectiveness.

Keywords

motivational interviewing spiritchange talk sustain talkpractitioner trainingintervention fidelitypartnershipacceptancecompassionevocation
Type
Chapter
Information
The Handbook of Behavior Change , pp. 661 - 676
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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