Pilot study of Motivational Interviewing among persons convicted of driving under the influence
A pilot randomized controlled trial (N = 51) investigated the impact of a brief intervention approach : Motivational Interviewing (MI), compared to a simple information session as a control condition, in offenders convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). Participants had a current diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence, and were recruited outside of mandated DUI remedial programs, in order to test MI in individuals who were not necessarily prepared to change. We evaluated the percentage of days of significant alcohol consumption (≥ 6 standard drinks a day), AUDIT scores and service utilization at three and six months follow-up. Results indicated that exposure to MI resulted in a significantly greater reduction in the number of days of significant alcohol consumption and fewer visits to health professionals at six months follow-up. Observed effect sizes were comparable to other studies of MI in different populations with alcohol problems. While preliminary, these results suggest that MI for DUI could have benefits, even in individuals who are not involved in a remedial process. A comprehensive study of MI’s potential in more directly improving drinking and driving outcomes is clearly warranted.