Motivational Interviewing as Group Therapy for Glycemic Control and Treatment Satisfaction of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is the most prevalent metabolic disorder with considerable long term complications. Management of diabetic patients needs cooperation of a multidisciplinary team including a variety of specialties. Cooperation, motivation, enthusiasm as well as self-discipline, compliance, and satisfaction of the patients are necessary factors for the successful management of the disease. One of the proposed treatment modalities for better compliance and favorable outcomes for patients with chronic health problems, such as diabetes, is motivational interviewing. Materials and Methods: In this research we have aimed at studying the effectiveness of group motivational interviewing among type 2 diabetic patients. We wanted to know whether it can be effective on glycemic control as well as the patient's satisfaction. Thirty patients with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were randomly selected and divided into two matched equal case and control groups, each one including 15 patients. The intervention was four weekly sessions of group motivational interviewing. Each session was 90 minutes. Our assessments were lab tests including fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C), as well as diabetes treatment satisfaction questionnaire (DTSQ). These assessments were done on both groups, three times including pre-test (one week before the first session), post-test (a week after the last session), and follow-up (two months after post-test). In order to assess the patients' attitude towards motivational interviewing, our case group also completed the client satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ) after the final session of motivational interviewing. Results: A1C was decreased significantly in the post-test in the study group and it had been maintained in follow up (P= 0.0001). This decrease had a mean of 1.23 units. Treatment satisfaction increased significantly (P= 0.014). These changes were not seen in the control group. Conclusion: Our findings showed that motivational interviewing as a group therapy was effective in glycemic control as well as treatment satisfaction of type 2 diabetes patients.