Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
Motivational Interviewing
DESCRIPTION
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, goal-oriented conversation style that guides patients’ speech in order to explore ambivalence and ultimately strengthen motivation for and commitment to change.[1]
- The central tenet of MI is that motivation must come from the patient, not be “inserted” by the clinician.
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Last updated: October 4, 2025
Citation
Gary, Joseph, et al. "Motivational Interviewing." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787379/all/Motivational_Interviewing.
Gary J, C, Kidorf M. Motivational Interviewing. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787379/all/Motivational_Interviewing. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Gary, J., , C., & Kidorf, M. (2025). Motivational Interviewing. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787379/all/Motivational_Interviewing
Gary J, C, Kidorf M. Motivational Interviewing [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787379/all/Motivational_Interviewing.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Motivational Interviewing
ID - 787379
A1 - Gary,Joseph,M.D.
AU - ,Cody Weston,M.D.
AU - Kidorf,Michael,Ph.D.
Y1 - 2025/10/04/
BT - Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787379/all/Motivational_Interviewing
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
