Ambivalence: Prerequisite for success in motivational interviewing with adolescents?

Creator(s)

Sarah W. Feldstein Ewing
Timothy R. Apodaca, Children's Mercy HospitalFollow
Jacques Gaume

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2016

Identifier

PMCID: PMC4963310 DOI: 10.1111/add.13286

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The exploration and resolution of ambivalence play an essential role in motivational interviewing (MI) theory. However, most adolescent MI studies have not examined ambivalence as a contributor to behaviour change. This paper reviewed research findings on the role of ambivalence in the adolescent change process.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We undertook a narrative review of the published empirical and theoretical literature on ambivalence and mechanisms of change in MI for adolescents and found that current MI evaluations appear not to have access to reliable and valid measures of ambivalence in adolescence or neuroimaging methods to evaluate the mechanisms of treatment response.

CONCLUSIONS: Improved instrumentation is needed to assess adolescents' ambivalence in clinical and research settings. Innovative methodology, including neuroimaging, may help identify factors mediating relationships between adolescents' ambivalence and treatment response.

Journal Title

Addiction (Abingdon, England)

Volume

111

Issue

11

First Page

1900

Last Page

1907

MeSH Keywords

Adolescent; Attitude to Health; Decision Making; Humans; Motivational Interviewing; Neuroimaging; Substance-Related Disorders

Keywords

Adolescents; ambivalence; brain; developmental; innovative approaches; measurement; motivational interviewing; neuroimaging; substance use

Comments

Comment in

• Should we measure ambivalence to change? [Addiction. 2016]

• Ambivalence and motivational interviewing with adolescents: ensuring that the baby does not get thrown out with the bathwater. [Addiction. 2016]

• The role of ambivalence in behavior change. [Addiction. 2016]

• Age is an important factor to consider when using neuroimaging technologies for studying ambivalence among adolescents. [Addiction. 2016]

Grant support

• R01 AA023658/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States

Recommended Citation

Feldstein Ewing SW, Apodaca TR, Gaume J. Ambivalence: Prerequisite for success in motivational interviewing with adolescents?. Addiction. 2016;111(11):1900-1907. doi:10.1111/add.13286