Motivational Interviewing Among Medical Workers

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Open Questions
Affirmations
Reflective Listening
Summarizing
Motivational Interview Principles
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Motivational interviewing is an appropriate tool for counseling and assistance used by medical and social workers. The OARS skills are used for characterizing motivational interviewing stages (Corey, 2022). A motivational interview includes open-ended questions, affirmations, reflection, and summarizing (Corey, 2022). Stages can be repeated to consolidate information and continue reflecting on the issue of concern. Each stage is essential for the patient’s self-understanding and consolidation of the result for further self-help.

Open Questions

Open questions form the basis of motivational interviewing because they allow the patient to tell their story and provide critical information about their problem. Open questions imply detailed answers, go from general to specific, and may begin with a request to tell about the problem (Corey, 2022). An excellent example of applying the skill of open questions is the behavior of an interviewer in group therapy about quitting smoking (UMBCtube, 2014). The main open question, answered by all group members, is about the advantages of quitting smoking (UMBCtube, 2014). After reflection, the participants are motivated to give up bad habits. A video example from a social worker demonstrates how open questions can put the patient at ease and help them trust the interviewer (Ama, 2019). The skill of open-ended questions is key to establishing a trusting relationship with the patient.

Affirmations

Affirmations in a motivational interview allow the interviewer to consolidate the information received from self-reflection. The interviewer must use the skill of affirmation to ensure that the patient remembers the necessary information (Corey, 2022). In the case of group therapy, where patients need to be convinced of the need to quit smoking, affirmation is the pronunciation and repetition of the benefits of quitting (UMBCtube, 2014). The affirmation should not contain praise, being a statement of facts.

Reflective Listening

Reflective listening is a skill without which it is impossible to conduct a full-fledged motivational interview. With the help of this vital quality, the interviewer demonstrates empathy and sympathy, building a confidential conversation with the patient (Corey, 2022). This skill develops due to a sincere desire to understand the patient’s vision and help them understand the situation. Reflective listening builds a dialogue in which the client speaks most of the time, reflecting on open questions.

Summarizing

A brief summary at the session’s end allows the interviewer to verify that the patient has correctly understood the message. A summary of the issues discussed helps to eliminate any possible misunderstandings (Corey, 2022). The summary can be used for further meetings to establish a starting point or outline the direction of further work. The social worker summarizes what has been said by assuring a woman that she can get help, convincing her of the need to turn to specialists (Ama, 2019). The interviewer in the video about quitting smoking summarizes the mentioned benefits (UMBCtube, 2014). The final stage is critical to make sure that the conversation is compelling.

Motivational Interview Principles

Clear ethical principles must guide the interviewer during the session. The primary skill required is empathy, recognizing and responding to the patient’s feelings and emotions (Corey, 2022). In a conversation with a patient, one can often encounter resistance; an important principle is the need to avoid confrontation. The conversation should be conducted in an environment conducive to conversation. The interview should be structured so that the client does most of the talking, and the interviewer listens carefully and guides the dialogue (Corey, 2022). In addition, questions should not be consecutive; they should leave time for reflection.

Conclusion

The four OARS skills are essential to practicing motivational interviewing. Using these principles increases the session’s success and ensures that an understanding is reached between the interviewer and the patient. With the use of OARS, the dialogue is subject to a clear structure, in which most of the time is devoted to recognizing the problem and finding ways to solve it. In addition to the four skills, the interviewer must be guided by ethical principles: show empathy and not cause discomfort to the patient.

References

Ama, J. (2019). Social Worker Demonstrates Motivational Interviewing | 2019. [Video]. YouTube. Web.

Corey, G. (2022). Theory and Practice of Group Counseling. Cengage Learning.

UMBCtube. (2014). MDQuit: For Providers — Motivational Interviewing in a

Group Setting: MI Consistent. [Video]. YouTube. Web.

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