Unsolicited advice cements bad behaviours!

Did you know that the movement to client-centred care using motivational interviewing (MI) tools isn’t merely useful for encouraging even more/better behaviour change decisions among patients but that in fact, using MI tools is likely more effective than merely giving advice? Research has actually found that unsolicited advice-giving is associated with patients being even more resistant to making any good changes!  When practitioners use a patient-centred approach, patients report higher satisfaction and motivation to make healthy changes. Moreover, both patients and practitioners enjoy their interactions more (that is, everybody wins!). Research is mounting that shows that MI-based approaches outperform traditional advice giving and educational discussions in the treatment of many conditions. Well-developed studies by Little and colleagues (2001), by Duran (2003), and by Lundahl (2010) all support this more patient-centred, Motivational Interviewing approach toward health behaviour changes.