title: Teaching Physicians Motivational Interviewing for Discussing Weight With Overweight Adolescents.
abstract: We tested whether an online intervention combined with a patient feedback report improved physicians' use of motivational interviewing (MI) techniques when discussing weight with overweight and obese adolescents.
  
  
  
  We randomized 46 pediatricians and family physicians and audio recorded 527 patient encounters. Half of the physicians received an individually tailored, online intervention. Then, all physicians received a summary report detailing patient's weight-related behaviors. We coded MI techniques and used multilevel linear mixed-effects models to examine arm differences. We assessed patients' motivation to change and perceived empathy after encounter.
  
  
  
  We found arm differences in the Intervention Phase and the Summary Report Phase: Empathy (p < .001), MI Spirit (p < .001), open questions (p = .02), and MI consistent behaviors (p = .04). Across all three phases (Baseline, Intervention, and Summary Report), when physicians had higher Empathy scores, patients were more motivated to change diet (p = .03) and physical activity (p = .03). In addition, patients rated physicians as more empathic when physicians used more MI consistent techniques (p = .02).
  
  
  
  An individually tailored, online intervention coupled with a Summary Report improved physicians' use of MI, which improved the patient experience.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Populations Sciences, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina. Electronic address: kathryn.pollak@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Kathryn I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Health Services Research and Development Service, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Cynthia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Coffman
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Populations Sciences, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tulsky
authors.affiliation: Department of Consumer Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.
authors.forename: Stewart C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Populations Sciences, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Truls
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Østbye
authors.affiliation: People Designs Inc., Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Populations Sciences, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lyna
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Rowena J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dolor
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control and Populations Sciences, Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bilheimer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Pao-Hwa
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bodner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: Terrill D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bravender
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004501:Education, Medical; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D062405:Motivational Interviewing / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
keywords: Adolescents; Motivational interviewing intervention; Physicians