Training medical students to conduct motivational interviewing: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) training among medical students.


METHODS
All students (n=131) (year 5) at Lausanne Medical School, Switzerland were randomized into an experimental or a control group. After a training in basic communication skills (control condition), an 8-h MI training was completed by 84.8% students in the exprimental group. One week later, students in both groups were invited to meet with two standardized patients. MI skills were coded by blinded research assistants using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity 3.0.


RESULTS
Superior MI performance was shown for trained versus control students, as demonstrated by higher scores for "Empathy" [p<0.001] and "MI Spirit" [p<0.001]. Scores were similar between groups for "Direction", indicating that students in both groups invited the patient to talk about behavior change. Behavior counts assessment demonstrated better performance in MI in trained versus untrained students regarding occurences of MI-adherent behavior [p<0.001], MI non-adherent behavior [p<0.001], Closed questions [p<0.001], Open questions [p=0.001], simple reflections [p=0.03], and Complex reflections [p<0.001]. Occurrences were similar between groups regarding "Giving information".


CONCLUSIONS
An 8-h training workshop was associated with improved MI performance.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings lend support for the implementation of MI training in medical schools.
Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. jean-bernard.daeppen@chuv.ch
Jean-Bernard
JB
Daeppen
Cristiana
C
Fortini
Nicolas
N
Bertholet
Raphael
R
Bonvin
Alexandre
A
Berney
Pierre-André
PA
Michaud
Carine
C
Layat
Jacques
J
Gaume
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000193:education*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003376:Counseling / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult