An emergent school of thought dictates that the most stimulating component for disease prevention and
wellness promotion may reside within the individual patient. Eliciting patient behavior change, however, is a
a paramount challenge for today’s health professional teams, including medical social workers.
Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, client-centered, goal-oriented method of communication. It helps to resolve ambivalence and identify and strengthen an individual’s motivation for change. Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based practice that has been employed with diverse patient populations and
across a variety of settings.
Rollnick, Miller, and Butler (2008) argue that motivational interviewing has a place in informing communication
between patients and health care providers that can influence how patients feel, how they behave, and their
overall health outcomes. Within the context of health and illness, motivational interviewing can be used on
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micro levels (i.e., during consultations between patients and providers) and on macro levels (i.e., throughout
population-centered health education programs).
To prepare for this Discussion, consider the major components of motivational interviewing. Think about clinical
and public health issues to which you can apply motivational interviewing.
Sample Solution
