Writing Homework Help

For this assignment you will use the Motivational Interviewing Method to complete a simple interview and summary report.

• First, you need to find a willing adult participant to interview.  This does not have to be anyone involved in the criminal justice profession and can be someone you know or are even related to.    
• Next, set up a time to meet in person in order to talk. 
• Then, make sure to be prepared for the interview and note taking.   
• Start the interview by asking them to identify a change they are considering, something they are thinking about changing in their life, but have not definitely decided.  It can be something they feel two ways about (i.e. hesitant and excited)  Explain it might be a change that would be “good for you,” that you “should” make for some reason, but have been putting off. 
• Listen as they explain the change but don’t try to persuade or fix anything.  Don’t offer advice.  
• Take notes as you listen. 
• Next, ask the following four questions one at a time and listen carefully to what the person says:
  • Why do you want to make this change?
  • If you did decide to make this change, how might you go about it in order to succeed?
  • What are the three best reasons for you to do it?
  • How important would you say it is for you to make this change, on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is not important at all, and 10 is extremely important? [Follow-up question: Why are you at ____ rather than a lower number or 0?]
• After you have listened carefully to the answers, give back a short summary of what you have heard, making sure to address the person’s motivations for change. 
• Then ask one more question, “So what do you think you’ll do?”  and listen with interest to the answer. 
• Finally, thank the person for their time and end the interview. 

Your paper must address the following: 

1. Identify the person you are talking to and their approximate age. 
2. Describe the general tone or attitude of the person being interviewed. 
3. What are the circumstances of this person’s life.
4. What can you infer about the general emotional state of this person from what he/she says.
5. Provide a brief synopsis of their answers to your questions. 
6. Describe anything interesting or surprising about the situation represented by this interview.
7. Describe any problems or frustrations the interviewee may have had when discussing the change. 
8. Include the short reflective summary you used. 
9. Describe any resistance that occurred. 
10. If you had some power or authority and could make something good happen, something realistic, what would you propose as a way to help the interviewee improve his/her circumstances?  
11. Finally, include how you felt when conducting the interview.  Was it hard to not offer advice or be judgmental?  Did they respond with more information than you expected.  Was it a comfortable conversation?