Creating a Therapeutic Alliance with Caregivers: An Introduction to Motivational Interviewing.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Psychology
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Behavior analyst training prioritizes scientific knowledge and practical skills.
• The practice of behavior analysis, including client interaction, is crucial for effective outcomes.
• Other helping professions utilize therapeutic alliance-building skills and motivational interviewing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for the integration of motivational interviewing into behavior analyst training programs.
• To highlight the importance of practice skills alongside scientific knowledge in behavior analysis.
• To demonstrate the relevance of motivational interviewing for enhancing behavior analysis practice.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and theoretical argumentation.
• Analysis of motivational interviewing's effectiveness in other helping professions.
• Proposal for curriculum enhancement in behavior analysis training.

Main Results:

• Motivational interviewing is effective in improving intervention outcomes.
• Motivational interviewing strengthens the therapeutic alliance and client rapport.
• Current behavior analyst training may overlook crucial practice-oriented skills.

Conclusions:

• Motivational interviewing is a valuable modality for behavior analyst training.
• Integrating motivational interviewing can enhance client engagement and intervention success.
• Adopting motivational interviewing aligns behavior analysis training with other evidence-based helping professions.