Motivational interviewing in community-based research: experiences from the field

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven therapy for problem drinking in clinical settings.
• There is increasing interest in applying MI to diverse health behaviors like smoking, diet, and exercise in community research.
• Extending MI to new contexts presents implementation and evaluation challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of MI in community-based behavior change research.
• To identify challenges and provide strategies for implementing MI effectively in diverse settings.
• To share lessons learned from collaborative workgroup experiences.

Main Methods:

• Review of MI application examples in various community-based behavior change projects.
• Discussion of implementation strategies for training, fidelity, and brief interventions.
• Analysis of lessons learned from a collaborative workgroup.

Main Results:

• MI is adaptable for promoting various health behavior changes beyond problem drinking.
• Key challenges include counselor training, maintaining MI's core principles with limited contact, and ensuring treatment fidelity.
• Adjunctive strategies and robust evaluation plans are crucial for successful implementation.

Conclusions:

• MI holds significant potential for facilitating diverse health behavior changes in community settings.
• Addressing implementation challenges through strategic planning and evaluation is essential for maximizing MI's impact.
• Future community-based research can benefit from the shared experiences and strategies presented.