Date of Graduation
Spring 5-15-2025
Document Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
College/School
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Department/Program
Nursing
Program
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Executive Summary
First Advisor
Dr. Alicia Kletter RN, MSN, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Second Advisor
Dr. Cathy Coleman DNP, MSN, CPHQ, CNL
Abstract
Background Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are severe mental health conditions often accompanied by ambivalence toward recovery, contributing to poor treatment adherence and high dropout rates. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based, patient-centered approach that has improved engagement and motivation. However, MI training is not routinely provided to frontline staff in residential eating disorder treatment settings. Local Problem At two Bay Area Eating Disorder residential treatment centers, Mental Health Rehabilitation Workers (MHRWs) reported communication challenges and lacked formal MI training. This gap limited their ability to manage resistance and foster therapeutic engagement with clients. Methods A pre-training survey assessed communication barriers. A virtual MI training was delivered on March 5, 2025, followed by pre-and post-training assessments to evaluate staff knowledge of MI concepts and strategies. Intervention Fifteen MHRWs participated in a one-hour virtual session focused on MI principles, the OARS* framework, and techniques to enhance client motivation. The training included interactive discussion and role-play exercises. Results Fifteen staff completed the pre-test; eleven completed the post-test. The mean score increased slightly from 5.33 (SD = 0.98) to 5.45 (SD = 1.04), with more participants achieving perfect scores post-training (73% vs. 60%). However, chi-square analysis revealed no statistically significant differences (all p > 0.05), likely due to the small sample size and high baseline scores. Conclusions The training improved staff confidence, communication skills, and patient-centered engagement, and is now part of staff onboarding. Future improvements include follow-up sessions and supervisor-led coaching. Keywords: motivational interviewing, eating disorders, staff training, residential treatment, patient-centered care. *Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summarizing.
Recommended Citation
Shergill, Aman Kaur, "Empowering Mental Health Support Staff with Motivational Interviewing Training to Enhance Eating Disorder Recovery" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects. 376.
https://repository.usfca.edu/dnp/376
