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
. 2015 Feb;83(1):56-67.
doi: 10.1037/a0037635. Epub 2014 Aug 11.

In-session processes of brief motivational interventions in two trials with mandated college students

Brian Borsari  1 , Timothy R Apodaca  2 , Kristina M Jackson  3 , Nadine R Mastroleo  3 , Molly Magill  3 , Nancy P Barnett  3 , Kate B Carey  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

In-session processes of brief motivational interventions in two trials with mandated college students

Brian Borsari et al. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2015 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: Each year, thousands of college students receive mandated intervention as a sanction for alcohol use or alcohol-related behavior. For these mandated students, brief motivational interventions (BMIs) are currently the most efficacious individual intervention. However, little is known about how the technical (therapist behaviors) and relational (e.g., global ratings of therapist empathy) components of BMIs influence client language as well as subsequent change in alcohol use and consequences.

Method: This study used the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code (MISC 2.0; Miller, Moyers, Ernst, & Amrhein, 2003) to code BMI sessions from 2 randomized clinical trials that facilitated significant reductions in alcohol use (Study 1, n = 91) and alcohol-related consequences (Study 2, n = 158) in mandated students.

Results: There were significant relationships among therapist behaviors, global scores, and client language both for and against change, yet there were no links between in-session client language and subsequent changes in alcohol use or problems. In contrast, relational aspects of motivational interviewing (MI; global ratings of therapist MI Spirit and client self-exploration) were most predictive of postsession alcohol use. Mediation models incorporating both technical and relational components revealed that higher levels of client self-exploration mediated the relationship between higher therapist ratings of MI Spirit and reduced drinking at follow-up.

Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of considering how both technical and relational components of MI may influence alcohol use in mandated college students and also suggest more exact analyses to better understand this complex relationship.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Model of Therapist Language, Client Language, Therapist and Client Global Ratings, and Alcohol Outcomes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    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. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.71.5.862. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Apodaca TR, Magill M, Longabaugh R, Jackson KM, Monti PM. Effect of a significant other on client change talk in motivational interviewing. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2013;81(1):35–46. doi: 10.1037/a0030881. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barnett NP, Murphy JG, Colby SM, Monti PM. Efficacy of counselor vs computer-delivered intervention with mandated college students. Addictive Behaviors. 2007;32(11):2529–2548. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2007.06.017. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bertholet N, Palfai T, Gaume J, Daeppen JB, Saitz R. Do brief alcohol motivational interventions work like we think they do? Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. 2014;38(3):853–859. doi: 10.1111/acer.12274. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Borsari B, Carey KB. Effects of a brief motivational intervention with college student drinkers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2000;68(4):728–733. doi: 10.1037//0022-006X.68.4.728. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types