Which statement best describes Motivational Interviewing?

• A. Takes into account readiness to change
• B. Lectures patients about change
• C. Uses punitive discipline
• D. Ignores patient concerns

Answer: (A)

Motivational Interviewing is a patient-centered way of guiding conversations that focuses on helping people resolve ambivalence and decide for themselves to change. It relies on empathy, collaboration, and respect for the patient’s autonomy, and it meets them where they are in the change process. A key feature is taking readiness to change into account and tailoring the conversation to whether someone is just considering change, planning it, or already acting. This approach avoids lecturing, punishment, or ignoring concerns, instead inviting the patient to articulate their own reasons for change and supporting their sense of self-efficacy. That's why the statement about taking readiness to change into account best describes Motivational Interviewing.