Training Dietitians in Motivational Interviewing: A Pilot Study of the Effects on Dietitian and Patient Behaviour

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the transfer of Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills to dietietic practice in a clinical setting, and the effect of this on patient behaviour.This involved a replication of Britt and Balmpied (2010), except with dietitians providing the MI rather than nurses educators as in the earlier study. The current study, therefore, is a both a test of replication and generalisation. Method: Two dietitians were trained in MI and effects of this training were evaluated on both practitioner and patient behaviour when MI was delivered in a clinical settting with patients experiencing diabetes self-management difficulties. Comparisons were made between the dietitians' and participants' behaviour during baseline (standard Patient Education, n=6 participants) and after the dieitians were trained in MI (n=5 participants). Data were collated from transcripts of all sessions independently coded using the therapist and client behaviour counts from the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code to derive therapist and client behaviour counts. Results: MI training was effective relative to baseline performance. Conclusions: When trained in MI, the practitioners behaved in ways consistent with MI, and this appears to have evoked in-session behaviour from the participants consistent with emergent MI theory.

Teaching and assessment of communication skills in dietetics: a scoping review

“…Analysis of recordings of consultations demonstrated impacts in terms of behaviour and results with dietitians adopting more motivational interviewing consistent behaviours after training, while patients of dietitians who had received motivational interviewing training had significantly reduced saturated fat intakes compared to those of control dietitians but with no differences between groups for other diabetes‐related risk factors 53 . A pilot study evaluated the effect of a motivational interviewing training (workshop, ongoing coaching) completed by two dietitians and found that dietitians engaged in more motivational interviewing‐consistent behaviour after training, with corresponding changes in patient behaviour 52 . A study in the UK investigating the effect of motivational interviewing training on counselling behaviour, delivered to 32 student nutritionists as five 3‐h sessions and video feedback, reported that students used fewer closed questions and slightly more open questions post‐training 58 .…”

“…53 A pilot study evaluated the effect of a motivational interviewing training (workshop, ongoing coaching) completed by two dietitians and found that dietitians engaged in more motivational interviewingconsistent behaviour after training, with corresponding changes in patient behaviour. 52 A study in the UK investigating the effect of motivational interviewing training on counselling behaviour, delivered to 32 student nutritionists as five 3-h sessions and video feedback, reported that students used fewer closed questions and slightly more open questions posttraining. 58 Similar results in adoption of counselling skills more consistent with motivational interviewing after training were also seen in two abstracts relating to student dietitians in the USA 54,57 and in a 1970s' study that described a 'helping skills' programme for student dietitians in the USA.…”

The impact of motivational interviewing training on rehabilitation counselors: Assessing working alliance and client engagement. A randomized controlled trial.

“…The positive effects of teaching MI have been demonstrated in numerous areas. Medical students demonstrated improved student confidence, increased knowledge of counseling techniques, and stronger belief in the importance of behavior change, and MI has helped client–practitioner communications and increased clients’ lifestyle changes (Britt & Blampied, 2010, 2015; Brown & Oriel, 1998; Poirier et al, 2004; Söderlund, Madson, Rubak, & Nilsen, 2011). The method used to train impacts MI effectiveness.…”

Exploring applications of motivational interviewing in sport psychology

“…At least 15 million people have received MI treatment globally, and over 3,000 trainers have completed the training pathway to become MINT affiliated (Miller & Moyers, 2017;Miller & Rollnick, 2009). This addiction (e.g., Baer et al, 2004), mental health (e.g., Schoener, Madeja, Henderson, Ondersmaa, & Janisse, 2006), dietetics (e.g., Britt & Blampied, 2014), smoking cessation (e.g., Hayes et al, 2011), general practice (e.g., Rubak, Sandbaek, Lauritzen, Borch-Johnsen, & Christensen, 2006), juvenile corrections (e.g., Doran, Hohman, & Koutsenok, 2013), physical activity and lifestyle change (e.g., O'Halloran et al, 2014;Scott, Breckon, Copeland, & Hutchison, 2015). Recently, researchers have begun exploring the process and outcomes of training undergraduate students in MI from disciplines including nutrition, physiotherapy and occupational therapy (e.g., Fortune, Breckon, Norris, Eva, & Frater, 2019;Simper, Breckon, & Kilner, 2017).…”