ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Motivational interviewing (MI) is a patient-centered approach to behavior change counseling that is used among health professionals across multiple disciplines. However, MI training has yet to be broadly offered to health professional (HP) students. This study aimed to evaluate student interest in MI and the efficacy of an MI workshop to assess whether MI training should be incorporated into HP curricula. Methods: We conducted a needs assessment to evaluate HP student interest in learning MI. We then hosted a 6.5-hour MI workshop, followed by optional standardized patient encounters (SPEs). SPE performance was evaluated with a scored competency assessment. Results: Needs assessment respondents (N=93) were predominantly medical students (53%), of which 49% were interested in primary care-related fields. Most (58%) reported receiving 0 to 2 hours of MI training in their required curricula, yet 87% intended to use MI and were interested in receiving training. Nineteen students attended the MI workshop. Postworkshop knowledge assessment (N=11) improved by an average of 34% (premean [±SD], 41% [±12]; postmean [±SD], 75% [±10]; P<.001). The SPE mean competency score (5.09) surpassed the threshold for competence of 5. Conclusions: HP students reported receiving minimal MI training in their curricula despite being highly interested in MI. Interested students responded to our interdisciplinary MI workshop and SPEs with high satisfaction, suggesting that HP schools may benefit from incorporating MI into their curricula. Nevertheless, response rates were low, and selection bias may have skewed responses toward more favorable perceptions of MI.
ABSTRACT
Body dissatisfaction is a key factor contributing to the development of disordered eating, and body dissatisfaction is often influenced by media, peer, and parental pressures during adolescence. Little research has explored ways in which parents can help their children manage pressures from social media and their peers. The present study used the MyVoice National Poll of Youth, a large text-message cohort of young people (14-24 years old) in the United States, to collect and examine qualitative data about their experiences with parental weight-related communication and how they think parents can best support their children regarding messages they see/hear surrounding weight, body shape and size by their peers and media sources. 801 participants responsed to at least one question. Results from the present study suggest that young people want their parents to model healthy relationships with food and their body, teach body neutrality/acceptance, and normalize all body types. Findings suggest that there are many proactive, practical approaches parents can adopt to help support their children and offset weight-related pressures from other sources.
