title: Motivational Interviewing for Parent-child Health Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Motivational interviewing (MI) is a patient-centered approach focusing on building intrinsic motivation for change. This paper presents a meta-analysis of parent-involved MI to improve pediatric health behavior and health outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study inclusion criteria: (1) examined modifiable pediatric health behaviors (< 18 years old); (2) used MI or motivational enhancement; (3) conducted a randomized controlled trial with a comparison group (non-MI control or active treatment group); (4) conducted the intervention with only a parent or both a parent and child; and (5) were written in English. Twenty-five studies (with 5,130 participants) were included and independently rated. Weighted mean effect sizes, using random-effects assumptions, were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to comparison groups, MI was associated with significant improvements in health behaviors (e.g., oral health, diet, physical activity, reduced screen time, smoking cessation, reduced second hand smoke) and reduction in body mass index. Results suggest that MI may also outperform comparison groups in terms of dental caries, but more studies are needed. MI interventions were more successful at improving diets for Caucasians and when the intervention included more MI components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide support for providing motivational interviewing to parents and children to improve pediatric health behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Mass., USA. belindab@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Roger Williams University, Bristol, R.I., USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tooley
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, R.I., USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, R.I., USA; Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, R.I., USA.
authors.forename: Lori A J
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Scott-Sheldon
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D062405:Motivational Interviewing; D009909:Oral Health; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D015431:Weight Loss