Impact of Motivational Interviewing Education on General Practitioners' and Trainees' Learning and Diabetes Outcomes...

Effective diabetes management requires behavioral change support from primary care providers. However, general practitioners (GPs) often lack training in patient-centered communication methods such as motivational interviewing (MI), especially in time-constrained settings. While brief MI offers a practical alternative, evidence on its impact among GPs and patient outcomes remains limited.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured MI educational program for GPs and GP trainees on their MI knowledge and confidence, and its impact on clinical outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care settings.

A mixed methods study was conducted using a before-and-after two-group design with quantitative assessments of GPs' knowledge and patients' biomarkers, supplemented by qualitative interviews. The intervention group (n=35) received a 4-hour interactive MI workshop, optional web-based modules, and brief MI guides. The control group received standard care. A total of 149 and 167 patients with diabetes were included in the study and control groups, respectively.

A paired-sample t test was conducted to evaluate the impact of the MI course on the learners' knowledge. There was a statistically significant difference in the knowledge test scores from Time 1 (mean 11.46, SD 3.48) to Time 2 (mean 15.04, SD 2.35), t28= -7.74; P<.001 (2-tailed). The mean increase in knowledge score was 3.57 (SD 2.44), with a 95% CI of 2.62 to 4.52, indicating a large and statistically significant effect. The eta-squared statistic indicated a large effect size (eta-squared=0.85). Patients in the intervention group had greater improvements in HbA1c (mean difference= -0.50, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.09; P=.02) and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference= -5.96 mmHg, 95% CI -8.66 to -3.25; P<.001) compared to controls. Qualitative feedback highlighted the usefulness of brief MI, along with challenges in mastering advanced techniques and time constraints.

The MI educational program improved GP trainees' MI knowledge and patient outcomes. Brief MI appears feasible in primary care but requires ongoing support for skill development and implementation.