Motivational Interviewing in Pediatric Mental Health

Abstract

Although many pediatric clinicians have familiarity with motivational interviewing (MI), they may have limited awareness of how it can benefit mental and behavioral health assessment and management. This article describes the spirit, tasks, and skills of MI. Cases illustrate the application of MI to common presentations of mental health concerns in pediatric primary care. These examples provide concrete guidance on how to navigate barriers to applying MI and underscore how MI aligns with the unique opportunities and values of primary care, including longitudinal relationships, opportunities to partner with families in shared decision-making, and valuing culturally-responsive, patient-centered care.

Keywords: Behavior change; Communication; Culturally-responsive care; Mental health; Motivational interviewing; Primary care; Shared decision-making.