Developing a Group Motivational Interviewing Intervention for First-Time Adolescent Offenders At-Risk for an Alcohol or Drug Use Disorder

Abstract

This study examined how teens who had committed a first-time alcohol or other drug (AOD) offense responded to a motivational interviewing (MI) group intervention. Participants were 101 first-time AOD adolescent offenders (M = 15.88; 63% male, 54% Hispanic). The authors developed and tested a six-session curriculum called Free Talk and solicited feedback from different teens after each session. Groups were recorded and transcribed. Feedback was categorized using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scale (MITI 3.0). Feedback indicated high levels of evocation, collaboration, autonomy/support, and empathy. The current study highlights that utilizing group MI can be an acceptable approach for at-risk youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• motivational interviewing
• group
• alcohol and drug use

Notes

We would like to thank Dr. Sarah Feldstein-Ewing and Dr. Angela Bryan for their help in developing content for this intervention. We would also like to thank the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse for their support of this project. Finally, we would like to thank Kristen Sullivan and Kristin Ritchey for their help with coding the focus group data. The current study was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (R01DA019938) to Elizabeth D'Amico.