Which of the following is NOT an advantage of motivational interviewing?

Correct answer: A. It decreases the patient's sense of self-efficacy

• A. CORRECT — this is NOT an advantage; it is the opposite of what motivational interviewing does. MI deliberately BUILDS self-efficacy — the patient's confidence in their own ability to change — because confidence is one of the two pillars of readiness (importance and confidence). Techniques such as affirmations, reviewing past successes, and confidence rulers exist specifically to raise self-efficacy.
• B. This IS an advantage. Respecting autonomy — the patient decides — is one of the four core MI processes.
• C. This IS an advantage. By rolling with resistance instead of confronting it, MI avoids the argumentative dynamic that entrenches the status quo.
• D. This IS an advantage. MI evokes 'change talk' from the patient rather than the clinician supplying reasons — self-generated arguments are far more persuasive.

Note: MI spirit: Partnership, Acceptance, Compassion, Evocation. Core skills: OARS — Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing.