MC-7a Motivational Interviewing

MC 7a: Integrate motivational interviewing strategies into practice.

Summative Assessment Example: OARS Practice

Assignment Instructions 

Engage in a 15-minute recorded or live role-play session with a client who is contemplating a change in their life. The role play client must abstain from threats of violence to self or others, abusive behavior or any extreme behaviors that would require the BHSS student to use crisis intervention skills versus active listening skills (OARS). An assumption is that informed consent has already occurred. It is recommended the BHSS do the following:

• Explain to the patient that the session is 15 minutes.

• Begin the session with an open-ended question to elicit patient perspective.
• Continue to engage in active listing using open ended questions, affirmations, reflections (simple and complex when applicable), and summaries (when appropriate).
• Initiate a summary statement by minute 12 to provide enough time for a reasonable conclusion.

Guidance for Instructor 

The assignment may be self-assessed using the rubric, assessed by an observer(s), or assessed by an instructor. If self-assessed, it is recommended that the assignment be assessed as complete or incomplete to encourage honest reflection or peer assessment of skills Graded assessments ought to be evaluated by an instructor or instructor assistant.

Grading Rubric

Skill being assessed	Criteria				Comments
	Needs Work	Beginning	Developing Proficiency	Proficient (for a BHSS student)
Open Ended Questions What How When Where Avoid Why	Did not ask open ended questions. The questions were value based. Questions required a yes or no response.	One open ended question followed by advising, information giving, or non-client centered response.	Started with open ended question and followed through with an affirmation, reflection or summary.	Integrated open ended questions fluidly with the other three elements of OARS.
Affirmations Commenting positively on an attribute; Catch the person doing something for their well-being; An expression of hope, caring, or support	Did not provide an affirmation; Missed an opportunity to provide an affirmation; Ignored statements by patient.	Attempted to state an affirmation. Turned affirmation into a closed ended question. Ignored statements by patient.	Offered an affirmation and followed through with a reflection, open-ended question or summary.	Integrated affirmation fluidly with the other three elements of OARS.
Reflections Helps the client/patient continue exploring; Yield more information and better understanding; Statement, rather than a question.	Did not provide a reflection; Missed an opportunity to provide a reflection; Ignored statements by patient.	Attempted to share a reflection statement. Identified a feeling or emotion, but no content. Ignored statements by patient.	Offered a simple reflection by restating what the patient said, or paraphrasing the patient, and followed through with an open-ended question, affirmation or summary.	Proficient in demonstration of both simple reflections and complex reflections accompanied by open ended questions, affirmations and summary.
Summarizations Draw together what happened and transition to a new task; Link to something just said with something discussed earlier; Collect themes that have been offered.	Did not provide a summary; Missed an opportunity to provide a summary; Ignored themes shared by the patient.	Attempted to form a summary statement; Inserted opinions or ideas not shared by the patient. Ignored statements by the patient.	Provided an adequate summary and missed a key theme expressed by the patient. Identified goal for change was vague.	Expert summary of session themes and patient perspective. Included a patient goal for change or direction for behavior.