Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Dec;26(4):859-69.
doi: 10.1037/a0029674. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

Motivational interviewing: a pilot test of active ingredients and mechanisms of change

Jon Morgenstern  1 , Alexis Kuerbis, Paul Amrhein, Lisa Hail, Kevin Lynch, James R McKay
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Motivational interviewing: a pilot test of active ingredients and mechanisms of change

Jon Morgenstern et al. Psychol Addict Behav. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an effective treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) that focuses on resolving ambivalence and increasing commitment to positive behavior change. Although MI has a well-developed clinical theory, research findings have been mixed in supporting its view of how change occurs. The primary aim of this pilot study was to test hypothesized MI active ingredients and mechanisms of change in reducing drinking during the initiation of a behavior change episode. Problem drinkers (N = 89) seeking treatment were randomly assigned to MI, relational MI without directive elements (spirit-only MI [SOMI]), or a self-change (SC) control condition. Participants were followed during an 8-week treatment period. The first 2 of 4 treatment sessions were videotaped and coded for fidelity, discriminability, and change talk. Overall, conditions demonstrated high fidelity. As predicted, change talk significantly increased in MI relative to the SOMI condition. Drinking was significantly reduced at end treatment, but the reduction was equivalent across conditions. Post hoc analyses found that MI reduced drinking more rapidly than SOMI and SC and that increased change talk mediated the effects of MI relative to SOMI during the week immediately following the first session. Findings are discussed in the context of the pilot nature of the study and the relative absence of experimental tests of mechanisms of behavior change in SUD treatment research.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant flow chart. MI = Motivational Interviewing. SOMI = Spirit Only Motivational Interviewing. SC = Self change.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Aharonovich E, Amrhein PC, Bisaga A, Nunes EV, Hasin DS. Cognition, commitment language, and behavioral change among cocaine-dependent patients. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 2008;22(4):557–562. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Allsop S. What's this thing called motivational interviewing? Addiction. 2007;102(3):343–345. - PubMed
    1. Amrhein PC, Miller WR, Yahne CE, Palmer M, Fulcher L. Client commitment language during motivational interviewing predicts drug use outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2003;71(5):862–878. - PubMed
    1. Apodaca TR, Longabaugh R. Mechanisms of change in motivational interviewing: A review and preliminary evaluation of the evidence. Addiction. 2009;104(5):705–715. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1986;51:1173–1182. - PubMed

Publication types