The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
My Take
Efficacy of MI Is Fairly Consistent
Motivational interviewing has received a great deal of attention as a therapeutic modality for substance use disorders. As this article highlights, the efficacy of MI is fairly consistent across studies, but the effect size is modest. It might be that MI is most effective for individuals who have less severe illness and/or are at an earlier stage in the addiction process (i.e., “problem” drinkers). MI has also been used with success as an adjunct to help motivate and engage individuals in more intensive substance abuse treatment.
KATHLEEN T. BRADY, M.D., Ph.D., a psychiatrist and a pharmacologist, is professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. She is director of the Southern Consortium of the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Clinical Trials Network. She serves as a consultant to or on the speakers bureaus of several pharmaceutical companies.
VITALS