Motivational Interviewing in Child, Youth and Family Residences: Case Leaders' Experiences, Appraisal and Skill Level, and the Barriers to Implementation

Abstract

Motivational Interviewing(MI) is “a collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change” (Miller & Rollnick, 2012, p.12). Utilised as a preparation tool to increase engagement in treatment, as an adjunct to another therapeutic intervention, or as a stand-alone intervention in its own right, MI promotes and strengthens an individual’s motivation to change by helping to explore and overcome ambivalence (Miller & Rollnick, 2012). The present report details an investigation of Child, Youth and Family (CYF)case leaders’ experiences and appraisal of MI, as well as their level of skill in applying MI post-workshop training. In addition, it explores barriers to MI implementation within the context of CYF residential units, which may inform future training and intervention efforts. A mixed-methods exploratory sequential design was employed in this research, with data collected through an online survey, focus groups and audio recordings of participant MI interactions submitted post-training. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses identified that the case leaders’ perceived and externally assessed low level of MI skilfulness, as well as a lack of time and resources (e.g., quiet space), were major factors influencing the infrequent use of MI in residences post-training. Furthermore, the results highlight the complexity of implementing Evidence Based Practices (EBP)’s, such as MI, within government organisations, and the need for implementation planning, which includes systematic ongoing training, feedback and organisational support for this to be successful implementation.