The Effect of Motivational

Interviewing on Academic Motivation

in Middle School Students

Marion OliverEduc 709

It is of incredible importance to students’ connection to school, as well as their ability and desire to stay in school (McNeely & Falci, 2004)

It is a strength that school counselors should promote in students!

Why is motivation important?

Ryan and Patrick’s 2001 study that found that students have higher levels of motivation when they feel supported by teachers and believe their ideas are respected in the classroom.

Wentzel (1997) also found a positive relationship between a student’s perceived caring from the teacher and academic effort/motivation.

What is known about motivation?

However, there is a research gap surrounding the influence that school counselors can have on motivation.

Miller and Rollinick (2002) described motivational interviewing as a counseling technique that is client-centered in nature and used to motivate people for behavioral change.

It is a counseling technique that a large body of research has found to be successful for treating alcohol abuse, eating disorders, dieting, among other target behaviors.◦ Most of this research focuses on adults--there is a gap in

the literature around motivational interviewing for adolescents.

◦ In particular, lack of research about its use in academic settings (Strait et al., 2012).

What is known about motivational interviewing?

Strait et al. (2012) studied motivational interviewing in middle school students using a randomized trial with a sample size of 100 students.

Participants were randomly assigned to either an MI group or an assessment only control condition. ◦ Students in the MI condition participated in one

individual MI session with a trained school or clinical psychology graduate student.

Previous Research on Motivational Interviewing

Results of Strait et al. (2012) study:◦ found that even a single motivational interviewing

session “had positive effects on math grades and some academic behaviors for middle school students that should increase academic performance, namely, class participation and overall positive academic behavior” (p. 1037).

The first randomized controlled study of MI with middle school students to find a statistically significant effect on grades.

How has motivational interviewing in schools been studied by

previous researchers?

There is limited research in general about motivational interviewing in adolescents, and especially motivational interviewing in the school setting.

The previously referenced study (Strait et. al 2012) also stated that further research and replication of their findings was needed before establishing efficacy, thus prompting the research study at hand as further investigation into this topic.

Limitations of Research on Motivational Interviewing and School

Initial research has shown motivational interviewing to have a positive effect on student academic motivation.

School Counseling Best Practices!◦ Academic counseling is part of the school

counselor’s responsibilities as defined by ASCA, so learning new counseling techniques that can help improve motivation/academics is important professional development.

How is this body of research relevant to the practice of school counseling and field of education?

Single-Subject Design Subject= one individual student The sample for this study, the student, will be

selected through a non-probability convenience sample due to the limitations of the track out calendar in a year long school

Student will be identified by his/her teacher as lacking in motivation and corroborated with data supporting this lack of motivation (for example, a high number of absences or course failures)

My Research Project: What effect can motivational interviewing have on the academic motivation of middle school

students?

Academic motivation is operationally defined and adapted from Pascarella (2007) as “a willingness to work hard to learn material even if it doesn’t lead to a higher grade, the importance of getting good grades… and enjoyment of academic challenge” (p. 13)

Hypothesis: motivational interviewing will have a positive effect on academic motivation based on previous empirical research.

My Research Project (cont’d)

The intervention will be individual counseling using the techniques and principles of motivational interviewing for the client.

◦ Four counseling sessions taking place over a two to three week period, with each session lasting for about 20 to 25 minutes.

◦ Data will be collected using a student motivation survey (adapted from Pascarella, 2007). This survey will be administered before, during, and after the intervention, as well as a month later (the withdrawal phase).

◦ Teachers will also complete the same student motivation survey before and after the intervention.

My Research Project (cont’d)

Student Motivation Survey

Adapted from Pascarella (2007)

The primary principle of motivational interviewing is “to guide the student through the Stages of Change… making an assessment of where the student might be considered to be within the Stages of Change model according to statements they make during MI interactions”

The motivation to change should be elicited from within the student and should not be imposed ◦ Source: Atkinson & Woods, 2003, p. 51

Motivational Interviewing + My Research Project

Stages of Change in M.I.

There have been very limited studies regarding motivational interviewing and middle-school students’ academic motivation.◦ This study could further the notion that MI can

have a positive effect on motivation. It also contributes to the limited body of

literature about what school counselors can do to affect motivation in their students.

Advancing Research on Student Motivation + Motivational Interviewing

Pascarella, E. T. (2007). Methodological Report for Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. Retrieved from http://www.liberalarts.wabash.edu/storage/WNSLAE_Research_Methods_March_2008.pdf

Ryan, A. M., & Patrick, H. (2001). The classroom social environment and changes inadolescents' motivation and engagement during middle school. AmericanEducational Research Journal, 38(2), 437-460.

Strait, G., Smith, B. H., McQuillin, S., Terry, J., Swan, S., & Malone, P. S. (2012). A randomized trial of motivational interviewing to improve middle school students' academic performance. Journal Of Community Psychology, 40(8), 1032-1039.

Wentzel, K. R. (1997). Student motivation in middle school: The role of perceived

pedagogical caring. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 89(3), 411-419.

References