Motivational interviewing to encourage self-help participation following alcohol detoxification

Objective: This study tested a motivational intervention designed to enhance the likelihood that detoxified alcohol users will seek and participate in any form of aftercare. Method: After a baseline interview, 96 clients (76 men and 20 women) in a hospital inpatient detoxification unit were randomly assigned to either a standard care condition or a motivational interviewing condition, consisting of three motivational sessions conducted by master's-level therapists. Results: Two months after discharge, participants in the motivational condition did not differ from controls in the areas of sustained abstinence, typical drinking, or entry into formal treatment. However, clients receiving motivational interviewing were more likely to participate in 12-step groups. Conclusions: Motivational interviewing is a potentially useful strategy to encourage detoxification clients to initiate participation in self-help and may show promise as a strategy for helping alcohol users remain abstinent during the critical initial period following discharge from detoxification.