Motivational interviewing helps reduce home secondhand smoke exposure among inner city children at risk

Motivational interviewing, along with standard education and awareness programs, significantly reduced secondhand smoke exposure among children living in those households. Motivational interviewing, a counseling strategy that gained popularity in the treatment of alcoholics, uses a patient-centered counseling approach to help motivate people to change behaviors. Experts say it works with patients by acknowledging how difficult change is and by helping people devise and implement practical plans for change when they are ready.