Integrating motivational interviewing and narrative therapy to teach behavior change to family medicine resident physicians

Abstract

Introduction

Motivational interviewing is a useful skill to address the common problem of patient ambivalence regarding behavior change by uncovering and strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change. The Family Medicine Milestones underline the need for clear teaching and monitoring of skills in communication and behavior change in Family Medicine postgraduate training settings.

Methods

This article reports the integration of a motivational interviewing curriculum into an existing longitudinal narrative therapy-based curriculum on patient-centered communication.

Outcomes

Observed structured clinical examination for six participants indicate that intern physicians are able to demonstrate moderate motivational interviewing skill after a brief 2-h workshop. Participant self-evaluations for 16 participants suggest a brief 2-h curriculum was helpful at increasing importance of learning motivational interviewing by participants, and that participants desire further training opportunities.

Conclusion

A brief motivational interviewing curriculum can be integrated into existing communication training in a Family Medicine residency training program.