Which statement best reflects core principles of Motivational Interviewing?

Which statement best reflects core principles of Motivational Interviewing?

• A. Use coercion to promote compliance
• B. Offer direct advice without assessing readiness
• C. Express empathy; develop discrepancy; roll with resistance; support self-efficacy
• D. Use open-ended questions and reflective listening

Answer: (C)

Motivational Interviewing centers on collaborating with the client to resolve ambivalence and strengthen their own motivation for change. The best statement reflects four intertwined principles that guide this approach: expressing empathy through genuine, reflective understanding; developing discrepancy between the person’s current behavior and their values or goals to evoke change talk; rolling with resistance rather than opposing it, honoring the client’s autonomy; and supporting self-efficacy by affirming the person’s belief in their ability to change. Together, these components capture the spirit of MI—nonjudgmental, client-centered, and aimed at boosting intrinsic motivation. Coercion to promote compliance undermines autonomy and trust, which MI deliberately avoids. Direct advice without assessing readiness bypasses the motivational work of gauging where the client is in the change process. While open-ended questions and reflective listening are important techniques within MI, they don’t alone enumerate the core principles—they are tools used to enact the broader empathetic, autonomy-supporting approach.

Motivational Interviewing centers on collaborating with the client to resolve ambivalence and strengthen their own motivation for change. The best statement reflects four intertwined principles that guide this approach: expressing empathy through genuine, reflective understanding; developing discrepancy between the person’s current behavior and their values or goals to evoke change talk; rolling with resistance rather than opposing it, honoring the client’s autonomy; and supporting self-efficacy by affirming the person’s belief in their ability to change. Together, these components capture the spirit of MI—nonjudgmental, client-centered, and aimed at boosting intrinsic motivation.

Coercion to promote compliance undermines autonomy and trust, which MI deliberately avoids. Direct advice without assessing readiness bypasses the motivational work of gauging where the client is in the change process. While open-ended questions and reflective listening are important techniques within MI, they don’t alone enumerate the core principles—they are tools used to enact the broader empathetic, autonomy-supporting approach.