MI Terms & Study Guide NBHWC Exam
4 Central components of MI - correct answer-Acceptance, compassion, evocation,
partnership
Activation language - correct answer-mobilizing change talk towards action, falls short of
commitment language. ie. Ready, willing, considering
Acceptance - correct answer-Coach communicates self-worth, accurate empathy,
affirmation, and autonomy support.
Agenda Mapping - correct answer-short focusing metaconversation where you step back
and client chooses a direction from several options.
Agreement with a twist - correct answer-A reflection, affirmation, or accord followed by a
reframe
Ambivalence - correct answer-Simultaneous presence of competing motivations for and
against change.
Amplified Reflection - correct answer-Coach reflects with greater intensity than client
expressed. A form of response to sustain talk or discord.
Assessment Trap - correct answer-Error of beginning consultation with expert info. gathering
at cost of not listening to client's concerns.
Autonomy Support - correct answer-1 of 4 aspects of acceptance as a component of MI.
Interviewer accepts and confirms client's irrevocable right to self-determination and choice.
Blaming Trap - correct answer-The clinical error of focusing on blame or fault-finding rather
than change
CAT - correct answer-Acronym for 3 subtypes of client mobilizing change talk: Commitment,
Activation, Taking Steps
Change Talk - correct answer-Any client speech that favors movement toward a particular
change goal.
Chat trap - correct answer-the clinical error of engaging in excessive small talk and informal
chat that does not further the processes of engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning.
Coming Alongside - correct answer-A response to persistent sustain talk or discord in which
the interviewer accepts and reflects the client's theme.
Commitment Language - correct answer-Client mobilizing change talk that reflects intention
or disposition to carry out change. Verbs: Will, do, going to.
, Compassion - correct answer-One of the 4 central components of MI. Coach acts
benevolently giving priority to client needs and welfare.
Complex Reflection - correct answer-An interviewer reflection that adds additional or
different meaning beyond what the client has just said; a guess as to what the client may
have meant.
Confidence Talk - correct answer-Change talk that particularly bespeaks ability to change.
Continuing the paragraph - correct answer-A method of reflective listening in which the
counselor offers what might be the next (as yet unspoken) sentence in the client's
paragraph.
DARN - correct answer-An acronym for four subtypes of client preparatory change talk:
desire, ability, reason, and need
Decisional Balance - correct answer-A choice-focused technique that can be used when
counseling with neutrality, devoting equal exploration to the pros and cons of change or of a
specific plan.
Directing - correct answer-A natural communication style that involves telling, leading,
providing advice, information or instruction.
Discord - correct answer-Dissonance in the working relationship. Sustain talk does not itself
constitute discord. Examples are arguing, interrupting, discounting, or ignoring.
Double-sided reflection - correct answer-Reflection that includes both client sustain talk and
change talk, usually with the conjunction "and."
Elicit-provide-elicit - correct answer-Info. exchange process that begins and ends with
exploring the client's own experience to frame whatever information is being provided to the
client.
Empathy - correct answer-The coach communicates accurate understanding of the client's
perspectives and experiences, most commonly manifested as reflections.
Engaging - correct answer-The 1st of 4 fundamental processes in MI. Process of
establishing a mutually trusting and respectful helping relationship.
Equipoise - correct answer-The coach's decision to counsel with neutrality in a way that
consciously avoids guiding a client toward one particular choice or change and instead
explores the available options equally.
Evocation - correct answer-1 of 4 central components of the underlying spirit of MI by which
the interviewer elicits the client's own perspectives and motivation.
4 Central components of MI - correct answer-Acceptance, compassion, evocation,
partnership
Activation language - correct answer-mobilizing change talk towards action, falls short of
commitment language. ie. Ready, willing, considering
Acceptance - correct answer-Coach communicates self-worth, accurate empathy,
affirmation, and autonomy support.
Agenda Mapping - correct answer-short focusing metaconversation where you step back
and client chooses a direction from several options.
Agreement with a twist - correct answer-A reflection, affirmation, or accord followed by a
reframe
Ambivalence - correct answer-Simultaneous presence of competing motivations for and
against change.
Amplified Reflection - correct answer-Coach reflects with greater intensity than client
expressed. A form of response to sustain talk or discord.
Assessment Trap - correct answer-Error of beginning consultation with expert info. gathering
at cost of not listening to client's concerns.
Autonomy Support - correct answer-1 of 4 aspects of acceptance as a component of MI.
Interviewer accepts and confirms client's irrevocable right to self-determination and choice.
Blaming Trap - correct answer-The clinical error of focusing on blame or fault-finding rather
than change
CAT - correct answer-Acronym for 3 subtypes of client mobilizing change talk: Commitment,
Activation, Taking Steps
Change Talk - correct answer-Any client speech that favors movement toward a particular
change goal.
Chat trap - correct answer-the clinical error of engaging in excessive small talk and informal
chat that does not further the processes of engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning.
Coming Alongside - correct answer-A response to persistent sustain talk or discord in which
the interviewer accepts and reflects the client's theme.
Commitment Language - correct answer-Client mobilizing change talk that reflects intention
or disposition to carry out change. Verbs: Will, do, going to.
, Compassion - correct answer-One of the 4 central components of MI. Coach acts
benevolently giving priority to client needs and welfare.
Complex Reflection - correct answer-An interviewer reflection that adds additional or
different meaning beyond what the client has just said; a guess as to what the client may
have meant.
Confidence Talk - correct answer-Change talk that particularly bespeaks ability to change.
Continuing the paragraph - correct answer-A method of reflective listening in which the
counselor offers what might be the next (as yet unspoken) sentence in the client's
paragraph.
DARN - correct answer-An acronym for four subtypes of client preparatory change talk:
desire, ability, reason, and need
Decisional Balance - correct answer-A choice-focused technique that can be used when
counseling with neutrality, devoting equal exploration to the pros and cons of change or of a
specific plan.
Directing - correct answer-A natural communication style that involves telling, leading,
providing advice, information or instruction.
Discord - correct answer-Dissonance in the working relationship. Sustain talk does not itself
constitute discord. Examples are arguing, interrupting, discounting, or ignoring.
Double-sided reflection - correct answer-Reflection that includes both client sustain talk and
change talk, usually with the conjunction "and."
Elicit-provide-elicit - correct answer-Info. exchange process that begins and ends with
exploring the client's own experience to frame whatever information is being provided to the
client.
Empathy - correct answer-The coach communicates accurate understanding of the client's
perspectives and experiences, most commonly manifested as reflections.
Engaging - correct answer-The 1st of 4 fundamental processes in MI. Process of
establishing a mutually trusting and respectful helping relationship.
Equipoise - correct answer-The coach's decision to counsel with neutrality in a way that
consciously avoids guiding a client toward one particular choice or change and instead
explores the available options equally.
Evocation - correct answer-1 of 4 central components of the underlying spirit of MI by which
the interviewer elicits the client's own perspectives and motivation.
