title: Motivational interviewing to enhance treatment initiation in substance abusers: an effectiveness study.
abstract: Sixty individuals referred for a substance abuse evaluation by a child welfare worker were randomly assigned to either a standard evaluation or an evaluation enhanced by Motivational Interviewing techniques, each delivered in a single session. Participants who received the enhanced evaluation were significantly more likely to attend at least one additional treatment session after the initial evaluation (59% versus 29%). This finding suggests that comparatively inexpensive modifications of "standard" initial evaluations with substance-using parents may increase engagement of substance-abusing parents in treatment. Moreover, this study adds to an overwhelmingly positive literature supporting Motivational Interviewing with alcohol-using populations and extends prior findings to non-research community settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. kathleen.carroll@yale.edu
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Libby
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hyland
mesh_terms: D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy