Exercises for Developing MI Skills in Corrections

• NCJ Number: 238498
• Author(s): Bradford Bogue; Anjali Nandi
• Date Published: April 2012
• Length: 65 pages
• Corporate Author: National Institute of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Corrections
• Publication Format: Document; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper presents exercises for developing motivational interviewing (MI) skills in order to improve interaction with clients that increases the likelihood that they will change their criminal behaviors.

Abstract

The five chapters address "The Spirit of Motivational Interviewing," "Active Listening," "Recognizing and Reinforcing Change Talk," and "Responding to Resistance." The first chapter explains that MI is a method of helping clients become less ambivalent about changing maladaptive behavior. Miller and Rollnick, who developed the principles of MI, have described the underlying spirit of MI as a way of being and interacting with clients that is "collaborative," "evocative," and conveys respect for the client's "autonomy." In providing details on the spirit of MI, this chapter addresses the principles of MI, strategies and techniques for supervisors, assessment techniques, and coaching strategies and techniques. The second chapter focuses on "active listening," which involves asking, listening, and conveying understanding. Information is obtained by using "open questions," "affirmations," "summaries," and conveying "reflections" to the client. This chapter addresses listening skills, strategies and techniques for supervisors, assessment techniques, code summary, and coaching strategies and techniques. The third chapter addresses the recognition and reinforcement of "change talk." It discusses the types of change talk, a strategy for responding to change talk, strategies and techniques for supervisors, assessment techniques, coaching strategies and techniques, and exercises that help in identifying and responding to change talk. The fourth chapter considers the eliciting and strengthening of change talk; and it follows the format of previous chapters in providing instruction in strategies and techniques for supervisors, assessment techniques, and coaching strategies. The final chapter provides training in responding to resistance under the MI model. The chapter explores the features of resistance in the agent-client relationship, its origins, and what an agent can do to resolve issues involved in resistance. Glossary