Motivational Interviewing in Ethnic Populations

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an effective means of facilitating behavior change in a variety of health conditions. However, given its origins in western psychology, its utility in ethnic populations is unclear. Our objective was to examine the effectiveness of MI and its components in people of varying ethnicities and how they may experience MI. We undertook a narrative systematic review of the literature, searching only peer-reviewed research up until February, 2019 with participants who were: ≥ 18 years of age, belonging to an ethnic origin relevant to Canada’s population, and had a health related concern (e.g. drug and alcohol addictions, chronic illness). Four thousand seven hundred and sixty-one citations were retrieved, and ultimately 61 met the inclusion criteria. Cultural acknowledgment and considerations with MI, when described, enhanced effectiveness of MI in most ethnic groups. The length and the number of sessions had no apparent influence on the success of MI. When examined, most study participants reported acceptance of the intervention; however, there were challenges, most notably for Chinese patients. MI can be effective in a variety of ethnic groups, particularly when cultural acknowledgement is included in the process.