title: A randomized controlled trial of behavior change counseling education for medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Educating medical students about how to effectively counsel patients with negative health behaviors (i.e., lack of exercise, smoking) is vitally important. Behavior change counseling is a promising method that can be used by physicians to encourage positive changes in health behaviors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of a 2 h workshop in behavior change counseling for medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a pre-post control group design with 35 second-year medical students who were randomly assigned to participate in a behavior change counseling intervention or wait-list control group. Student knowledge and attitudes were assessed using multiple choice items and open-ended question prompts. Student skills were assessed via performance in a standardized patient encounter rated using the Behavior Change Counseling Index (BECCI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Student attitudes toward behavior change counseling were positive at both pre- and post-test assessment in both groups. Knowledge scores and BECCI total scores showed significantly greater improvement in the intervention group compared to the wait-list control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study found that a brief educational intervention had a positive impact on medical students' knowledge and skills in behavior change counseling, and that student attitudes about the counseling method were very positive.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. spollenjohnj@uams.edu
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Spollen
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Thrush
authors.forename: Dan-Vy
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Mui
authors.forename: Majka B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Sara G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D004493:Education / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult