Counselor competence for telephone Motivation Interviewing addressing lifestyle change among Dutch older adults

Professionals' knowledge, skills and confidence on using the best practices for spinal cord injury physical activity counseling in Canada and the Netherlands

CONTEXT

To improve physical activity (PA) participation in people with spinal cord injury (SCI), an international panel co-created theory- and evidence-based best practices for SCI PA counseling. This study aimed to identify and compare Canadian and Dutch counselors' knowledge, skills, and confidence in using these best practices.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted in Canada and the Netherlands. Respondents were included if they worked or volunteered as exercise/lifestyle counselor, recreation therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or peer mentor and were planning to provide counseling in the next 12 months. Chi-square tests, t-tests and linear regression analyses were used to compare groups.

RESULTS

Canadian (n = 45) and Dutch respondents (n = 41) had different expertise, with the majority of Canadians working as therapeutic recreation therapist and the majority of Dutch respondents working as PA/lifestyle counselor. In both countries, respondents scored relatively high on their knowledge, skills, and confidence in using the best practices on how to have a conversation and what to discuss during a conversation. Dutch respondents scored slightly higher in their confidence for using best practices about building rapport, motivational interviewing, and tailoring the support (p = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The generally high counseling skills reported by Canadian and Dutch respondents may be due to the history of SCI-specific PA promotion projects conducted in both countries. These survey findings were used to inform the development of evidence-based training modules on SCI PA counseling. This study may inspire cross-country collaboration and exchange to optimize the organization and delivery of PA counseling services for adults with SCI.

Intervention Fidelity of Telephone Motivational Interviewing On Physical Activity, Fruit Intake, and Vegetable Consumption in Dutch Outpatients With and Without Hypertension

BACKGROUND

In theory, Motivational Interviewing (MI) fidelity should be associated with client outcomes. Nevertheless, this fidelity-effectiveness association is rarely investigated. This study evaluated the extent to which Telephone Motivational Interviewing (TMI) fidelity is associated with change in self-reported physical activity (PA), fruit intake, and vegetable consumption.

METHOD

Adults in primary care (45-70 years) participated in a study that compared the effect of tailor print communication, telephone motivational interviewing (TMI), and a combination of the two on PA, fruit intake, and vegetable consumption. MI fidelity was assessed using the behavioral coding method "Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code (MITI)" in 409 randomly selected audio-recorded sessions, representing 232 participants of the TMI group. The associations between MI fidelity scores and the behavioral changes from baseline to 47-week follow-up were examined using backward multiple linear regression analyses (adjusted for covariates).

RESULTS

A significant and positive association between the percentage of MI adherent responses and improvements in PA and fruit consumption was found with respectively a small and medium effect size. The global rating "Spirit" (which resembles an all-at-once appraisal of the interviewer's MI competence) was significantly, but inversely associated with progress in vegetable intake with a medium effect size.

CONCLUSION

The finding that relatively lower MI competency was associated with higher vegetable consumption went against our expectations. Findings suggest that practicing MI-consistent skills was beneficial in promoting PA and fruit consumption, but moderated vegetable intake. This study contributes to the scientific confidence that TMI enables change in PA and fruit intake.

Empathy in patient-clinician interactions when using telecommunication: A rapid review of the evidence

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the replacement of many face-to-face healthcare consultations with telephone consultations. Little is known about the extent to which empathy can be expressed in telephone consultations. Our objective is to review evidence related to empathy in telephone consultations including clinical outcomes, and patient/practitioner experiences.

Methods

Searches of Medline/Ovid and PsycINFO/Ovid were undertaken. Titles and abstract screening, data extraction, and risk of bias were undertaken by two reviewers. Discrepancies were resolved in discussion with additional reviewers. Included studies were specific to tele-communications with empirical data on empathy related to patient outcomes/views, published (in English), 2010–2021. Studies that did not mention empathy explicitly were excluded.

Results

Our search yielded 740 individual records and 8 studies (527 patients, 20 practitioners) met inclusion criteria: Some barriers to expression of empathy were noted, but no major obstacles were reported. However, data was sparse and most studies had a high risk of bias.

Conclusion

Empathy in telephone consultations is possible, (though the loss of non-verbal cues and touch can present barriers) however the research does not yet identify how.

Innovation

It is possible to establish and display empathy in telephone consultations, but future research needs to identify how this can be optimized.

Funding

This work was supported by a 10.13039/501100000272National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) 10.13039/501100013374School for Primary Care Research grant (project number 389). The 10.13039/501100000739University of Southampton's Primary Care Department is a member of the 10.13039/501100013374NIHR School for Primary Care Research and supported by NIHR Research funds. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Protocol registration.

PROSPERO (CRD42021238087).

Contact Tracing for COVID-19: The Use of Motivational Interviewing and the Role of Social Work

One method in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 is that of contact tracing. It is estimated that in the US, 35,000-100,000 contact tracers will be hired (and trained) to talk to recently-infected individuals, understand who they have exposed to the virus, and encourage those exposed to self-quarantine. The Center for Disease Control recommends the use of motivational interviewing (MI) by contact tracers to encourage compliance with contact tracing/quarantine. Contact tracers need to sensitively communicate with COVID-19-exposed individuals who may also be experiencing other issues caused by the pandemic, such as anxiety, depression, grief, anger, intimate partner violence, health problems, food insecurity, and/or unemployment. Social workers are particularly prepared to address the mental health and other psychosocial problems that may be encountered in the tracing process. This article describes contact tracing, its use in other diseases, the role of MI, psychosocial issues that contact tracers may encounter, and how social work can respond to these needs. A sample dialogue of contact tracing using MI is presented with a discussion of the content and skills used in the process.

A randomized controlled trial comparing community lifestyle interventions to improve adherence to diet and physical activity recommendations: the VitalUM study

Worldwide, adherence to national guidelines for physical activity (PA), and fruit and vegetable consumption is recommended to promote health and reduce the risk for (chronic) disease. This study reports on the effectiveness of various social-cognitive interventions to improve adherence to guidelines and the revealed adherence predictors. Participants (n = 1,629), aged 45-70 years, randomly selected and recruited in 2005-2006 from 23 Dutch general practices, were randomized (centralized stratified allocation) to four groups to receive a 12-month lifestyle intervention targeting guideline adherence for PA and fruit and vegetable consumption. Study groups received either four computer-tailored print communication (TPC) letters (n = 405), four telephone motivational interviewing (TMI) sessions (n = 407), a combined intervention (two TPC letters and two TMI sessions, n = 408), or no intervention (control group, n = 409). After the baseline assessment, all parties were aware of the treatment groups. Outcomes were measured with self-report postal questionnaires at baseline, 25, 47 and 73 weeks. For PA, all three interventions were associated with better guideline adherence than no intervention. Odds ratios for TPC, TMI and the combined intervention were 1.82 (95% CI 1.31; 2.54), 1.57 (95% CI 1.13; 2.18), and 2.08 (95% CI 1.50; 2.88), respectively. No pedometer effects were found. For fruit and vegetable consumption, TPC seemed superior to those in the other groups. Odd ratio for fruit and vegetable consumption were 1.78 (95% CI 1.32; 2.41) and 1.73 (95% CI 1.28; 2.33), respectively. For each behaviour, adherence was predicted by self-efficacy expectations, habit strength and stages of change, whereas sex, awareness and the number of action plans predicted guideline adherence for fruit and vegetable intake. The season predicted the guideline adherence for PA and fruit consumption. The odds ratios revealed were equivalent to modest effects sizes, although they were larger than those reported in systematic reviews. This study indicated that less resource intensive interventions might have the potential for a large public health impact when widely implemented. The strengths of this study were the participation of lower educated adults and evaluation of maintenance effects. (Trial NL1035, 2007-09-06).

Differences in the delivery of motivational interviewing across three countries

We do not know if the delivery of Motivational Interviewing (MI) differs across countries. In an international study targeting Elderly people with Alcohol Use Disorder, The Elderly Study, MI was part of the treatment applied. Treatment delivery was measured by means of the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code version 4 (MITI 4). Mixed effects models explored potential differences in delivery of MI between the countries. Delivery of MI differed significantly between participating countries: Denmark, Germany and the US. These findings are important to consider when comparing measures of MI integrity across studies from different cultures.

Is fidelity to motivational interviewing associated with alcohol outcomes in treatment-seeking 60+ year-old citizens?

BACKGROUND

Part of the variability in treatment outcomes for Motivational Interviewing (MI) may be explained by differences in the fidelity to MI. The Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity manual version 4 (MITI 4) is an improved measure of fidelity to elements of MI. It is not known whether the fidelity to MI, as measured by the MITI 4, is related to treatment outcome.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether fidelity to MI is associated with alcohol use outcomes - predictive validity of the MITI 4.

METHOD

Twenty percent of the recorded sessions at the Danish sites of the Elderly Study were randomly drawn and coded for fidelity to MI with the MITI 4. The Elderly Study was an international, randomized controlled trial, in which people 60 years or older with Alcohol Use Disorders received either four weeks of Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) or four weeks of MET combined with up to eight additional sessions of the Community Reinforcement Approach- Senior (MET+CRA-S). Elements of MI and summary scores of the MITI 4 were used as predictors in a mixed effects regression analysis. Treatment outcomes were use of alcohol and consequences of drinking at 26-weeks follow-up.

RESULTS

In total, 423 sessions representing 238 participants were randomly drawn and coded for fidelity to MI. Mean values of the treatment elements indicated high fidelity to MI, with higher fidelity to MI in the MET sessions, as compared to CRA-S sessions. None of the predictors in the multilevel model analyses were associated with outcome at follow-up. Exploratory analysis indicated reverse associations between one measure of MI-fidelity and drinking outcomes in the combined treatment (CRAS).

CONCLUSION

The fidelity of the MI intervention, received by participants in this study, did not predict better treatment outcomes. MI may be less effective in populations which are already committed to change behavior. As expected and validating for the MITI 4, fidelity to MI-elements was lower in the combination of MI with other treatment approaches. Additionally, the timing of MI in these combined settings might be important for effectiveness.