By Ciara Placentino
Motivational interviewing is a way of working with offenders that puts the service user at the centre of the change process, and which research has found to be part of developing the most effective treatment style when facilitating behavioural change.
Founded by Miller and Rollnick (1991), it works by guiding the service user to recognise motivations for change, address ambivalence, and encourages autonomous decision making. There are four key principles and four skills which underpin motivational interviewing, which are outlined below.
The four key principles of motivational interviewing help us to respond to what a service user is saying or doing in a way which propels them towards change and allows them to make changes at their own pace and using their own methods which helps sustain change long after we finish working with them. These principles are known as REDS: Roll with Resistance, Express Empathy, Develop Discrepancy, Support with Self Efficacy.
- Rolling with Resistance – recognising when a service user is putting up barriers to change and responding in a way that does not put up further barriers. This can be difficult to do however it is important to pick your battles, manage your own expectations and remind yourself that their behaviour is not a reflection of you. People in the justice system face a lot of judgment and shame and it is important to be able to provide them with a non-judgmental, non-confrontational space.
- Expressing Empathy – gaining an understanding of what someone else may be thinking and feeling and demonstrating this understanding to them. This is different from sympathy – we are not trying to relate to their experiences or show we feel sorry for them, but instead we are stepping into their shoes. This helps to create an atmosphere where the service user is comfortable to discuss concerns about change openly.
- Developing Discrepancy – raising awareness of how present behaviour may conflict with someone’s desired standards, goals, and wider aims. This can cause discomfort or resistance, so it is important to encourage the service user to spot this themselves in a safe way rather than pointing it out to them.
- Supporting with Self Efficacy – helping the service user to build their self-belief and recognise they can achieve the changes they’re aiming for. We can do this by building their confidence through affirmations, highlighting existing strengths and skills, and identifying times where they have previously made a change.
These principles can be achieved through use of the four skills of motivational interviewing, known as OARS: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summarising.
- Open questions – can’t be answered with a yes or no and typically start with who what where when why how. This allows us to draw out more information by encouraging them to describe their perspective and helps us to motivate them to go forwards through clarifying thinking, challenging assumptions, considering the consequences, and exploring alternative perspectives. It is important to remember not to use leading questions, as the service user should be considered as the expert in their own life.
- Affirmations – personalised and specific statements of appreciation and understanding which highlight a positive quality/trait/value in what has been said/done. This is different to praise – praise is conditional and general; it has its place but can be superficial or patronising if overdone. Affirmations help to build rapport, shows we are interested in and value what they have done, encourages motivation by recognising how far they have moved, and helps the service user feel understood, respected, and valued, which encourages engagement.
- Reflections – capture what has been conveyed by the service user and repeats it back to demonstrate that you have listened. This can help the service user to identify discrepancies in their thinking, signals their contribution is relevant and interesting, and can pave the way for the next contribution. There are four main types of reflections: simple (reflecting back in a neutral tone and capturing the meaning of what has been said), exaggerated (to invite self-challenge), double-sided (to reflect back both sides of the argument when the service user has communicated a discrepancy), and affect reflections (reflecting back their emotions and feelings).
- Summarising – consolidates learning, monitors understanding, reinforces what has been said, and helps to wrap up a topic. It can be beneficial to be selective when summarizing by reframing what has been spoken about to emphasise the positive aspect and avoid colluding by focusing on their experience rather than reflecting any negative comments made.
