Phase II Motivational Interviewing: An Experiential Online Training Tool

Summary

Clinical social workers, doctors, outreach workers, and all other staff providing direct care to vulnerable populations face multiple challenges in obtaining and maintaining training and implementing evidence based practices in diverse community settings. Motivational Interviewing is a well-established evidence based practice that is challenging to implement across programs and agencies because it requires that skills gained from training be reinforced as a service provider employs the practice.

This study builds on findings from a Phase I study. With funding from a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Health, the Center for Social Innovation developed the Motivational Interviewing Simulator: An Experiential Online Training Tool. The interactive, case-based, multiplayer web-based game allows service providers to deepen their skills in Motivational Interviewing (MI), a widely recognized evidence-based practice that supports people to make positive behavior changes related to health, wellness, mental illness, and addiction.

The Phase II randomized controlled trial's primary aim is to assess the relative effectiveness of three interventions (MI Training Only; MI Training + eBook; MI Training + SIM) in increasing provider MI knowledge and skill retention over time.

During Phase II of this study, we will recruit 180 providers from 18 community agencies serving individuals who live in supportive housing, many of whom have histories of mental illness, addiction, homelessness, and medical problems. After receiving a standardized two-day onsite MI training, participants will be randomized into one of three conditions: 1) MI Training Only; 2) MI Training + eBook (an online comparison with comparable information to the Simulator without the interactive elements); or 3) MI Training + Simulator. The longitudinal, mixed methods study will assess providers' acquisition and retention of MI knowledge and skills through surveys and coding of standardized client interviews; barriers and facilitators of MI implementation via focus groups; organizational-level data via key informant interviews and site visits; and client outcomes for 3,600 clients through surveys, administrative, data and focus groups.

Conditions

• Substance Use Disorders
• Chronic Mental Disorder
• HIV/AIDS

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Interviewing Simulator (SIM)

The interactive, case-based, multiplayer web-based game allows service providers to deepen their skills in Motivational Interviewing (MI), a widely recognized evidence-based practice that supports people to make positive behavior changes related to health, wellness, mental illness, and addiction.The SIM will have three arenas for play, so that users can practice more advanced MI skills and include: Single Player, Two Player, and Advanced Free play. The SIM is equipped with multiple story-lines and characters to keep learners engaged over time and to provide practice on diverse case scenarios, making the Sim relevant to a wide audience. Lastly the SIM will provide an opportunity for feedback from peers and MI experts.

BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Interviewing eBook (eBook)

The Phase I research team developed a 69-page eBook as a "credible online comparator" that presents information comparable to that included in the Sim, but without the interactive, role-playing, peer learning functionalities embodied in the Sim. Developed in Hyperlink Markup Language, the eBook presented MI skills, followed by transcripts of effective and not-effective samples of MI from the Sim itself. The e-Book includes the story-lines along with sample dialogue and expert feedback on MI skills.

BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Interviewing Training (MI Training)

The training intervention consists of a free two-day standardized Motivational Interviewing (MI) training provided by experienced MI trainers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  collaborator NIH

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• American Institutes for Research

  collaborator OTHER

• Center for Social Innovation, Massachusetts

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jeffrey Olivet, BA., MA. · Center for Social Innovation

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-08-31

Primary Completion

2017-10-01

Completion

2017-10-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations