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Teaching Motivational Interviewing Skills to Third-Year Psychiatry Clerkship Students

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Abstract

Background

Despite a large percentage of health care costs being related to smoking, obesity, and substance abuse, most physicians are not confident in motivating patients to change health behaviors. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a directive, patient-centered approach for eliciting behavior change. The purpose of this study was to teach students MI skills and assess their confidence and knowledge during the psychiatry clerkship using smoking cessation as the target behavior.

Methods

Using a pretest/posttest design, 98 students were given a 10-item questionnaire during the psychiatry clerkship to assess their knowledge and confidence in health behavior change. Students received a 3-hour presentation on the principles of MI and practiced skills through role play. Students were encouraged to utilize these skills with patients.

Results

Paired t tests results showed significant differences pre- and postclerkship for nine of the 10 items, including the student’s confidence in working with patients in the area of smoking cessation.

Conclusion

Students can gain basic knowledge and increased confidence in working with patients for promoting behavioral change, even with a brief session, taught by nonexperts in motivational interviewing theory.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, P.O. Box 927, Dayton, Ohio, 45401-0927

    Brenda Roman M.D. &  Ann K. Morrison M.D.

  2. Department of Community Health, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio

    Nicole Borges Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Brenda Roman M.D.
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  2. Nicole Borges Ph.D.
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  3. Ann K. Morrison M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brenda Roman M.D..

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Roman, B., Borges, N. & Morrison, A.K. Teaching Motivational Interviewing Skills to Third-Year Psychiatry Clerkship Students. Acad Psychiatry 35, 51–53 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.35.1.51

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.35.1.51

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