The four guiding principles of MI are: express empathy, develop discrepancies, roll with resistance, and support self-efficacy.
There are four general techniques of MI: (1) express empathy, (2) develop discrepancies, (3) roll with resistance, and (4) support self-efficacy (more information on MI is described in Additional file 1).
Personalized normative feedback was designed to develop discrepancy based on behavioral comparisons of self and others.
Personal strivings assessment was designed to develop discrepancy between current and ideal self.
This study was designed to determine whether techniques purported to develop discrepancy actually do so and to compare methods of developing discrepancy on indices of intention to reduce alcohol use.
The guiding session will be based on the principles within Motivational Interviewing; express empathy, develop discrepancy, roll with resistance and support self-efficacy [ 21].
In the end all lifestyle coaches should be able to 'roll with resistance', express empathy, develop discrepancy, support self-efficacy, elicit change talk, make complex reflections and ask open questions.
Various MI activities and communication skills (rolling with resistance, expressing empathy, developing discrepancies between current and desired behaviour, supporting self-efficacy), were incorporated into the consultation protocols (as described in Table 3) with the aim of assessing motivation levels, encouraging change talk and enhancing intrinsic motivation to change [ 25].
It was hypothesized that participants who engage in discrepancy building activities would experience discrepancy specific to the activity in which they engaged, and that all participants who developed discrepancy would show higher levels of intention to reduce alcohol use.
These strategies include asking open ended questions, reflective listening, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance and eliciting change talk.
They should be able to apply the principles of motivational interviewing including developing discrepancy, avoiding argumentation, rolling with resistance, expressing empathy and supporting self efficacy.
