C.P.D.R. Schaap

The Motivational Interviewing Skill Code: Reliability and a Critical Appraisal

The Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC) is a coding system developed to measure adherence to motivational interviewing (MI). MI is an effective clinical style used in different treatment situations. Counsellors practising MI have to follow general principles and avoid certain traps. In the present study, the content of the MISC is compared with the general principles of MI and the traps to avoid in MI. Investigation of the content validity raises some questions. All general principles are represented but the traps to avoid in MI are not fully covered. The consequences of this under-representation are shown in transcripts of a selection of well-conducted MI training sessions. The reliability of the MISC was investigated by having five independent coders code 39 MI training sessions of different counsellors. The reliability of the MISC is reasonable. The five coders agreed to a large extent on the absolute ratings but the intraclass correlations were low. Although the MISC can be a useful research tool for process research of MI, it remains a labour-intensive instrument and for teaching and practice audit development of a more simple coding system is recommended.

Motivation to change drinking habits: development of a new instrument

Several international questionnaires measuring motivation for change have been translated into Dutch and are currently used in substance abuse treatment. The Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) is the best-known questionnaire, but critical appraisals can be made. We developed a new questionnaire that can be used together with the RCQ: the Motivation for Change Questionnaire (MfCQ). Data on the MfCQ were collected in three samples varying in drinking habits: patients from a substance abuse treatment centre (N = 118), people from the general community (N = 71), and psychology freshman (N = 139). Follow-up data of drinking habits in the general community sample were collected after six months. Three scales were constructed: ‘intention to change’, ‘outcome expectations’, and ‘self-efficacy’. Preliminary findings support the reliability and validity of the MfCQ. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 102-111.)