The language of change among criminal justice clients: Counselor language, client language, and client substance use outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Counselor and client language have been identified as mechanisms of change in motivational interviewing (MI) counseling sessions. This study evaluated whether language patterns exhibited during MI sessions with substance users in the community would also be found during MI sessions with substance users in the criminal justice system.

Method

Forty audio recordings of MI sessions with substance-using probationers were coded and analyzed sequentially using the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code (MISC) 2.5. Analyses examined the relationship between counselor and client language, and the relationship between client language and client substance use after 2 months.

Results

Counselor MI inconsistent language was associated with decreased change talk (lnOR = - 0

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5862754 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature