Beyond training: Evaluation of practitioner behavior change booster components as part of a motivational interviewing training program

Renko, Elina, Kohonen, Katarina, Heino, Matti T. J., Palsola, Minttu, Aaltio, Elina, Jäppinen, Maija, Forrester, Donald ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2293-5718 and Hankonen, Nelli 2026. Beyond training: Evaluation of practitioner behavior change booster components as part of a motivational interviewing training program. Psychological Services 10.1037/ser0001011

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Abstract

Even after intensive trainings, human and health service professionals may not optimally take up new approaches, such as motivational interviewing (MI). To decrease this knowledge–action gap, scaffolding of learning MI has been proposed. We developed (a) a workbook that aimed to boost MI uptake from the perspective of practitioner behavior change using goal setting, planning, self-monitoring, and social support and (b) structured peer group sessions to support this scaffolded learning process. We examine participants’ perceptions of and engagement with these components and whether the use of workbook and peer group meetings was associated with changes in participants’ MI skills. Social workers (n = 33) participated in an MI training over 2 months and responded to a survey about engagement at midintervention. At baseline and postintervention, real or simulated conversations with service users were assessed using the social work and interviewing motivationally coding system to identify the use of MI skills. Survey responses were aggregated into an engagement index, and its relationship to mean social work and interviewing motivationally assessed skill change was explored, using visualization methods in R. Approximately half of the respondents found the workbook useful for learning MI, while the other half reported that the workbook was difficult to use. The use of the workbook and peer group support was positively but modestly associated with skill improvement. Structured program to support behavior change to take up MI can improve training results. Basing training materials on both behavior change science strategies and feedback from the trainees has the potential to overcome the knowledge–action gap in MI trainings and promote sustained, high-quality training results.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
ISSN:	1541-1559
Last Modified:	26 Jan 2026 14:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184198

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