Enhancing Community Health Worker Communication: Evaluating Simulation-Based Training in Motivational Interviewing

Community health workers act as essential links between underserved communities and healthcare systems, promoting equity, building trust, and addressing social determinants of health. To be effective, they need strong communication skills, such as motivational interviewing, which supports behavior change by encouraging self-motivation and resolving ambivalence. This evaluation examined the impact of simulation-based training on the motivational interviewing skills of community health workers enrolled in a structured workforce program. Community Health Worker trainees (n = 277) attended a one-day session that included didactic lessons and simulations focusing on vaccine confidence, smoking cessation, and childhood obesity. Trainees' confidence was assessed through pre- and post-training surveys in three areas: engaging in conversations with people holding different opinions, applying motivational interviewing techniques, and using culturally appropriate resources to combat misinformation. Results showed significant improvements in confidence across all areas, with the greatest gain in engaging individuals with differing viewpoints, followed by applying motivational interviewing skills, and a smaller but meaningful increase in addressing misinformation. Qualitative feedback reinforced these findings, highlighting the value of realistic role-play, immediate feedback, structured preparation, and reflection. While further practice and long-term evaluation are necessary, simulation-based motivational interviewing training appears promising for enhancing community health workers' ability to promote behavior change and community engagement.