Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change and Grow, 4th Edition Doody's Expert Review Review Questionnaire ISBN: 9781462552795 ISBN-10: 146255279X Copyright: 2023 Edition: 4th Author: Miller, William R., Rollnick, Stephen, Doody's Expert Review    Score: 100 Doody's Star Rating™ and Doody's Expert Review provide by Doody Enterprises, Inc. Reviewer: Jill Littrell,  BA, MA, MA  (Northeastern Illinois University) Description There can come a time in individuals' lives when they contemplate the need for an important change within themselves but just don't know where to begin. While they may not see their dilemma clearly or may have an overwhelming fear of the unknown ahead, more often they are not quite ready to address the change. That is where the practice of motivational interviewing (MI) by trained and practiced professionals can help. Drs. William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick coined MI as a concept in the first edition of their book in 1991. Each subsequent edition has sought to clarify and build upon the concept based on use of MI in practice. The authors define motivational interviewing as "a particular way of talking with people about change and growth to strengthen their own motivation and commitment" and recommit to the strength of their process when both training and practice are pursued. This edition seeks to polish the training of those in the position to help individuals on the precipice of change. Chapters include guided conversations to illustrate each step of the process with clarity and repetition. Purpose Motivational interviewing is a powerful tool if practiced and employed with ease and stealth. To that end, the authors' specific examples bring familiarity to phrases that become part of readers' repertoires. Readers can practice the steps with colleagues and refine their ease with the transformation. Once confident in their process, readers can facilitate a change process guided by the client's input. This process is invaluable for both reluctant and eager clients. From those that are mandated to seek therapy for addiction to the resistant or indecisive client that simply needs help, the MI process sets the stage for real change. Audience The MI process is used chiefly in therapeutic environments yet may also be used in medical situations and educational settings. Certainly, therapeutic specialists in addiction counseling would consider the format thorough, but even those educators dealing with underachieving students would find value in this technique. Though similar to empathetic listening, motivational interviewing primarily targets those clients that need to make changes more quickly than the average patient. For instance, addiction can be a serious health issue where the speed of making changes is quite possibly a matter of life and death. This tool can be taught in group seminars and practiced within organizations to help as many clients as possible. Features The motivational interviewing process is comprised of four distinct steps: engaging (walking together), focusing (deciding where to go), evoking (reasons for going), and planning (how to get there). The authors explain each step clearly and provide best practice tips, including mnemonics to remember the order. The writing is clear, concise, and engaging. Each chapter ends with a succinct recap of key concepts and a list of references. A glossary is available as readers encounter new vocabulary. A table of contents and a subject index make reading and organizing thoughts easy. The authors articulate the key differences between the four editions of their work to indicate improvements to the MI process over time. The result is a candid reflection of their decades of work together and serves readers well. Assessment The authors clearly justify the changes in their language in each edition, though some criticisms may be a little too harsh to matter much. The fourth edition strongly encourages practitioners to take another look at MI and spend the time honing their skills for facilitating change with their clients. Overall, the process is what counts and the ultimate product is valuable in helping someone make a change they indeed want to make but need a guiding hand to accomplish. Review Questionnaire Range Question Score 1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10 1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10 1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5 1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5 1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5 1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? N/A 1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. N/A 1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. N/A 1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5 1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 5 1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5 1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book N/A 1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10 1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? 10 ©2025 Doody Enterprises, Inc.