Motivational Interviewing and Case-Based Learning Approach Toward Tobacco Cessation Behavior Changes

Health care professionals and health care students need effective skills to address the public health issue of tobacco use disorder. An accredited tobacco treatment specialist (TTS) program that includes case-based motivational interviewing (MI) instruction and role-playing with case-based tobacco scenarios, provides an opportunity to obtain or improve tobacco cessation skills. It is important for health care students to develop competency in MI as part of the evidence-based strategies used to assist individuals with tobacco cessation. The purpose of this short report was to evaluate the effectiveness of case-based teaching of MI concepts and assess health care students' ability to apply these techniques during tobacco cessation scenarios. Ten percent of the TTS program's certification examination consisted of case-based questions in MI skills developed by a team of experts. A total of 156 West Virginia University Health Sciences Center students (including dental and dental hygiene students) were examined. The mean overall correct response for MI case-based questions score was 89.0% (SD, 0.29). With an 80% competency score, this assessment of tobacco cessation case-based learning questions displayed proficient application of MI and case-based learning was considered a valuable method to teach a complex skill.