What are the best strategies for evaluating the long-term impact of Motivational Interviewing?

To evaluate the long-term impact of Motivational Interviewing (MI), a comprehensive approach is necessary. Firstly, it is essential to use validated outcome measures that are specifically tailored to the intervention's goals, such as changes in behavior or sustained motivation. Longitudinal studies with follow-up assessments at regular intervals can provide insight into the durability of MI effects over time. Secondly, qualitative methods, such as interviews or focus groups, can capture subtle changes in attitudes and behaviors. Thirdly, collaborating with stakeholders, including patients and healthcare providers, can offer diverse perspectives on the enduring impact of MI.

When using MI to set goals, it is important that those goals are SMART and that the person's motivational level is assessed in the beginning. If they are not very motivated, then helping them find the motivation should now be your goal and measurement throughout the process. If they are highly motivated, then the measurement becomes tracking their progress toward achieving their SMART goals.

I t is important to use more than one measure to determine impact. The person you are working with needs to set out SMART goals which can increase confidence in the treatment plan for both the provider and the patient. If you are using the inventory make sure that the person you are working with understands the questions and that the wording may not be causing any issues. Throughout the process whatever tools or measurements you use ensure that you are well trained and are reminding the individual that these markers are not an indicator of them personally or if they can heal. Sometimes certain approaches aren’t helpful for some individuals. Cocreate a check in timeline and minimum goals, from there it’s about honest communication.

There are plenty of assessment tools out there to help your clients track their progress. Choose one that is a good fit for you as the practitioner and for them. If they have a hard time assigning a numeric value to their motivation, then perhaps a tool that allows them other language to describe their circumstances is better suited for them. The key here is to be flexible and adapt to what the situation needs, but to be consistent in the tools that you use so you can monitor progress.

When you follow up with a client, remember that progress is not always linear. There will be relapses. Most people need to be reminded during the process that they are expected to have highs and lows. A graph of the motivational curve can be helpful for this reason. It is also wise to have some backup plans or reroutes in mind when obstacles arise. This is where the practitioner becomes an additional source of motivation for the client, and motivational interviewing gets the chance to stand out against other forms of coaching.

Motivational interviewing is all about holding a non-judgemental space for the client to do some self-discovery. Progress is always the goal, and perfection is never the goal. There is no true timeline to when progress should occur, sometimes the journey is a longer time commitment, and that is ok. As long as a client has the desire to keep working toward a goal, that is enough to keep things moving forward.