Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 24, No. 6, 2005, pp. 811-831 MARKLANDMOTIVATIONAL ET AL. INTERVIEWING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND SELF–DETERMINATION THEORY DAVID MARKLAND University of Wales, Bangor RICHARD M. RYAN University of Rochester, NY VANNESSA JAYNE TOBIN University of Wales, Bangor STEPHEN ROLLNICK University of Wales College of Medicine Motivational interviewing has become widely adopted as a counseling style for pro- moting behavior change; however, as yet it lacks a coherent theoretical framework for understanding its processes and efficacy. This article proposes that self–determi- nation theory (SDT) can offer such a framework. The principles of motivational inter- viewing and SDT are outlined and the parallels between them are drawn out. We show how both motivational interviewing and SDT are based on the assumption that humans have an innate tendency for personal growth toward psychological integra- tion, and that motivational interviewing provides the social–environmental facilitat- ing factors suggested by SDT to promote this tendency. We propose that adopting an SDT perspective could help in furthering our understanding of the psychological processes involved in motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing has become widely adopted as a counseling style for facilitating behavior change. Having evolved originally from clinical experience in the treatment of problem drinking, motivational in- terviewing was first described by Miller (1983). Its principles and clinical procedures were expanded upon by Miller and Rollnick (1991, 2002). Mo- tivational interviewing and adaptations of motivational interviewing Please address correspondence to David Markland, PhD, C. Psychol., University of Wales, Bangor; School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences; George Building; Holyhead Road; Bangor, Gwynedd, UK; LL57 2PZ; E–mail:
[email protected].