Motivational Interviewing: a beneficial tool for healthcare providers

Have you ever felt that you lectured your patient about why they need to change their lifestyle? Motivational interviewing could be an effective, alternative tool to add to your practice. 

What is Motivational Interviewing? 

Motivational interviewing (MI) was introduced in the 1980’s by William Miller. Motivational interviewing is a communication method that is collaborative and patient-centered. It’s used by healthcare providers to understand patients’ personal motivations, and ultimately, facilitate behavior change.

The key concepts

Research has demonstrated that motivation is an important factor for behavior change to occur. Motivational interviewing explores uncertainty and strengthens a person’s motivation for change. Motivational interviewing occurs in an environment of respect and compassion, and involves a style of communicating as well as a set of skills to facilitate the change process.

Motivational interviewing is made up of four processes: Engage, Focus, Evoke, and Plan. 

Engage: Engage in a relationship with the patient.

Focus: Focus on the area for change.

Evoke: Evoke the desire for change in the patient.

Plan: Plan the process for the change to occur with patient participation.

Integrating MI in clinical practice

Motivational interviewing is often used in addiction treatment and in the management of various health conditions. It can be used on its own, or with other treatment methods. The process may help individuals build the motivation to change. The ideal format and frequency of interventions require further study. Further studies will assist in better understanding of how MI can be used with specific groups at risk, maximizing the impact and effectiveness that this technique may have right now, and in future.

FURTHER READING & RESOURCES

Frost, H., Campbell, P, et al. (2018). Effectiveness of motivational interviewing on adult behavior

change in health and social care settings: A systematic review of reviews. s. PLoS ONE 13(10): doi:

e0204890. https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0204890

Mifsud, J., & Galea, J. (2021). Motivations interviewing and outcomes in primary preventive cardiology.

British Journal of Cardiology, 28 (4). doi: 10.5837/bjc.2021.047

Miller, W.R.  & Rollnick, S. (2013) Motivational Interviewing: Helping people to change (3rd Edition).

Guilford Press.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapy-types/motivational-interviewing 

https://motivationalinterviewing.org/understanding-motivational-interviewing

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