A pilot study of motivational interviewing training in a virtual world

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Health Behavior Change Communication
• Virtual Learning Environments

Background:

• Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based strategy for supporting patient health behavior change.
• Traditional MI training faces barriers due to time and travel commitments.
• Virtual worlds, such as Second Life (SL), present an opportunity to improve access and deepen MI training experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a virtual-world platform for delivering MI training to physicians.
• To pilot test instructional designs for MI training utilizing the SL virtual world.

Main Methods:

• A pilot MI training program was designed and implemented in the SL virtual world for 13 primary care physicians.
• Training focused on using MI for counseling patients about colorectal cancer screening.
• Outcomes measured included self-reported confidence, clinical practice changes, acceptability of the virtual environment, and objective assessment of MI skills through mock patient interviews.

Main Results:

• All 13 physicians completed the training, with high acceptability ratings for both the MI training and the SL learning environment (77% found SL effective).
• Physicians reported significant improvements in confidence and clinical practice patterns related to colorectal cancer screening counseling.
• Statistically significant increases were observed in global MI skills scores and four component skills: empathy, autonomy, collaboration, and evocative response.

Conclusions:

• Virtual worlds show potential as a novel medical education pedagogy for enhancing patient-centered communication skills.
• The study suggests that SL can be an effective medium for delivering impactful MI training to physicians.
• This approach may lead to improved learning outcomes in essential communication skills for healthcare professionals.