Meta-Analysis of Motivational Interviewing as a Counselling Approach

This report provides a meta-analysis of motivational interviewing (MI) as a counselling approach. It begins with an introduction to MI, highlighting its use in treating clients with mental illness and the role of counselors in facilitating positive behavioral changes through empathy. The report then explores MI as a counselling approach, drawing on the perspectives of various researchers, including Schwalbe, Oh, & Zweben, and Miller & Rose, emphasizing its client-centered, directive, and empathetic nature. It delves into the principles of MI, such as expressing empathy, developing discrepancies, avoiding arguments, accepting resistance, and fostering self-efficacy. The report further discusses how counselors can improve their skills through active listening, summarization, and promoting client engagement. Finally, it concludes that MI is an effective therapeutic style for motivating clients and creating positive life changes.

RUNNING HEAD: MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING 0
Motivational Interviewing (mi)
Student’s Details-
MARCH 13, 2020

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Introduction
Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach for treating clients with the mental
illness. This approach is used by counsellor to bring a positive change into the behaviour of
the client through the showing of empathy (Schwalbe, Oh, & Zweben, 2014). Also, it is
important for the psychologists to examine the individual characteristics and be aware of the
different kinds of behaviours. Here, the assignment is based on the meta-analysis of
motivational interviewing as a counselling approach making the analysis of the research
conducted.
Motivational Interviewing as a Counselling Approach
From the point of view of Schwalbe, Oh, & Zweben Motivational interviewing is
used as a counselling approach in which the counsellor becomes the helper and often makes
the use of the change process that can be used to express acceptance to the client (Schwalbe,
Oh, & Zweben, 2014). MI is regarded as an empathetic, directive and client centred approach
for counselling which can be helpful in the changing of the behaviour and bringing
confidence into the client. This is also used as health simulation which encourages the clients
to have a control over the health. Moreover, Miller & Rose has determined that there are
assumptions of motivational interviewing which describe the ambivalence can be resolved
through the working upon the client’s intrinsic motivation (Miller & Rose , 2015). Also, MI
approach creates the collaborative partnership with the client. The change under this
approach can be created through the supportive and directive manner which is being used for
the counselling practice. Also, motivational interviewing is often perceived as an intervention
which is being undertaken for the counselling approach and often acting as a cognitive
therapy which can lead to higher support to the clients.

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Combining Principles of Motivational Interviewing
As an effective counselling approach, motivational interviewing has certain principles
that define the persuasive actions of counsellor which can be combined by taking of
intervention. As per Whitaker, expressing of empathy is the principle of motivational
interviewing which can be acquired through the reflective listening and can be used in the
counselling practice (Whitaker, et al., 2016). Also, development of discrepancy is another
principle of motivational interviewing in which counsellor strive to make the discrepancies
between the current situation and the hopes for the future. This principle, focus on making the
client aware of the negative behaviour and develop the need for the confrontation of the
problems being caused. Besides, Salvo & Cannon-Breland, examined that a counsellor must
avoid the arguments which is the principle of motivation interviewing (Salvo & Cannon-
Breland, 2015). Moreover, arguments can be counterproductive to the counselling practice.
Additionally, there is principle of accepting the client’s resistance to change through
understanding the perspective of the client. Lastly, MI approach is based on the approach of
self-efficacy in which the counsellor can use the techniques which can make the client
understand their strengths.
Improving Counselling Skills
Through the use of motivational interviewing, counsellor can improve the counselling
skills which can improve the quality of care. Steinkopf, Hakala, & Van Hasselt has stated that
counsellor can improve their skills through actively listening to the client and reflecting upon
the client’s problems (Steinkopf, Hakala, & Van Hasselt, 2015). This also requires the client
to be aware of the responses of the clients through the effective active listening. Also,
summarization of the interview can help counsellor to determine the root of the problem and
often it is helpful in the dealing with the negative feelings of the client. Further, Fortune,

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Breckon, Norris, Eva, & Frater has described and analysed that the counsellor needs to be
affirmative and can improve the practice through acknowledging the difficult experiences
faced by the client and also promoting the self-efficacy (Fortune, Breckon, Norris, Eva, &
Frater, 2019). Client engagement is the basic task of motivational interviewing in which the
counsellor can make use of motivational statements to create engagement. This states the
counsellor can make the cognitive recognition of the problem which can create the optimism
behaviour of the client and it can often improve the counselling skills.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that motivational interviewing can be used for the
counselling practice which can be the effective therapeutic style for motivating and creating a
better life for the client. Further, this can bring a positive change for the client and often
enhances motivation. Here, the discussion is made on the use of motivational interviewing as
a counselling approach and improving the counselling skills which can improve the
motivation.

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References
Fortune, J., Breckon, J., Norris, M., Eva, G., & Frater, T. (2019). Motivational interviewing
training for physiotherapy and occupational therapy students: effect on confidence,
knowledge and skills. Patient education and counseling, 102(4), 694-700.
Miller, W., & Rose , G. (2015). Motivational interviewing and decisional balance: contrasting
responses to client ambivalence. Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy, 43(2),
129-141.
Salvo, M., & Cannon-Breland, M. (2015). Motivational interviewing for medication
adherence. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 55(4), e354–e363.
Schwalbe, C., Oh, H., & Zweben, A. (2014). Sustaining motivational interviewing: A meta‐
analysis of training studies. Addiction, 109(8), 287-1294.
Steinkopf, B., Hakala, K., & Van Hasselt, V. (2015). Motivational interviewing: Improving
the delivery of psychological services to law enforcement. Professional Psychology:
Research and Practice, 46(5), 348.
Whitaker, A., Quinn, M., Munroe, E., Martins, S., Mistretta, S., & Gilliam, M. (2016). A
motivational interviewing-based counseling intervention to increase postabortion
uptake of contraception: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Patient education and
counseling, 99(10), 1663-1669.