Motivational interviewing training for medical students: A pilot pre-post feasibility study

• Published in: Patient education and counseling 2018-11, Vol.101 (11), p.1934-1941
• Main Authors: Chéret, Antoine, Durier, Christine, Noël, Nicolas, Bourdic, Katia, Legrand, Chantal, D’Andréa, Catherine, Hem, Evelyne, Goujard, Cécile, Berthiaume, Patrick, Consoli, Silla M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication skills; Continuing medical education; Interdisciplinary medical education; Motivational interviewing
• ISSN: 0738-3991; 1873-5134
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.06.011

•The effects of brief training in motivational interviewing (MI) for medical students were evaluated.•Medical students showed a clear improvement in MI skills.•There was a modest improvement in the students’ empathy, as perceived by the ‘patients’.•MI training by a non-specialist professional is feasible early in medical courses.•These results encourage the implementation of MI training during medical studies. To evaluate the impact of brief training in motivational interviewing (MI) from a non-specialist professional for medical students. Students (n = 20) received three four-hour sessions of MI training over one week. They interviewed caregivers acting as patients in two standardised medical situations, six weeks before and three weeks after training. Global scores from the MITI-3.1.1 code, including “MI- Spirit”, were attributed to the audiotaped interviews by two independent coders, blind the pre- or post-training status of the interview. Secondary outcomes were: caregivers’ perception of students’ empathy (CARE questionnaire), students’ evaluation of self-efficacy to engage in a patient-centred relationship (SEPCQ score), and students’ satisfaction with their own performance (analogue scale). MI-Spirit score increased significantly after training (p