Quantum Units Education®

Message from the Director

1. Scientific analysis of both treatment and deterrence-orientation programs has shown that many programs that emphasized motivation and behavior change over punishment have been successful in reducing crime rates among offenders.

Introduction

2. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based practice used to communicate with offenders about  ____________ and behavior change.          

Chapter One: How Motivational Interviewing Fits in with Evidence-Based Practice

3. Deterrence strategies use negative consequences to reduce undesirable behaviors while constructional strategies emphasize reducing undesirable behavior through teaching new skills and providing opportunities to use the new skills.

What are the Principles of Effective Interventions?

4. Research points to three main principles of effective interventions, which include each of the following EXCEPT:      

Criminogenic Needs

5. Self-control is considered a “static” predictor of crime, while reconnection to primary/healthy relationships is “dynamic”.

Key Points

6. Interactions and interventions should be tailored  to offender characteristics such as motivation, learning style and :  

Chapter Two: How and Why People Change New Findings on Motivation

7. Although compliance is one maker of success, compliance does not automatically equal change.

How People Change

8. Which of the following accurately describes issues and strategies in the stages of change:

9. Change tends to be a process, and relapse maybe a part of the cycle for many people.

Why People Change

10. An individual’s perception of himself or herself as the determining agent of an action is known as interpersonal competence.

Chapter Three: The Motivational Interviewing Style

11. The four basic strategies of motivational interviewing (MI) are expressing empathy, rolling with resistance, developing discrepancy, and:        

It Elicits Change Talk

12. The five categories of motivational speech are desire, ability, reasons, need, and commitment.    

For Whom is Motivational Interviewing Best Suited?

13. Research suggests that MI is generally not appropriate for schizophrenic or antisocial clients.  

Chapter Four: Preparing for Change

14. Although open-ended questions are effective in eliciting information,  the use of close-ended questions is recommended during the assessment portion of an interview.

Affirm Positive Talk and Behavior

15. Some psychologists have suggested that the optimal ration for positive behavior change is about __________ affirmations for every critical comment.

Reflect What You are Hearing or Seeing

16. The best reflections do not parrot back what the offender has said,  but  rather paraphrase what has been said or guess what would come next.

17. Instead of confronting resistance with offenders,  a more effective response is usually to reflect what the offender is saying and redirect the conversation with an open-ended question or a statement emphasizing:  

18. Although there is no hard and fast rule on what to reflect during MI, the general rule is to emphasize change talk in early interactions but not to reflect ambivalence until much later.

Summarize What has Been Said

19. When using a summary as part of refection, basic elements include each of the following EXCEPT:    

An Example: Good Things and Not-So-Good Things

20. Offenders may remain stuck in destructive behavior patterns simply because they have never taken the time to weigh the pros and cons of their behavior and the benefits of change.

21. Focusing questions on future behavior sidesteps the issues of ___________________, which can be particularly useful when an offender denies the offending behavior.      

Key Points

22. An MI-inclined professional understands that problem behaviors have numerous negative consequences, and that the interview should focus on those harmful behaviors in order to assist the offender in making change.

Chapter Five: Building Motivation for Change

23. Conversations about change are most effective when they address one or two areas at a time, so it is important to decide which behaviors deserve immediate consideration and which can be left for later.

Look For and Emphasize Things That Motivate

24. One way to keep a conversation with an offender focused on change is to emphasize _____________.      

Use Forward-Focused Questions

25. Asking an offender why he/she didn’t, can’t or won’t do something is known as a reverse-priority question.

Asking Scaled (Rather Than Yes/No) Questions

26. Scaled questions ask offenders to rate from 1 to 10 their desire,  readiness and ___________ to change.      

27. When using scaled importance and confidence questions, techniques to encourage elaborations from the offender include asking “why is that?” or “what else?”.

Strengthen Commitment to Change

28. Strengthening commitment to change occurs during Phase I of the motivation balance scale.

Give Advice Without Telling What to Do

29. If providing advice is part of the motivation process, it is important to:      

Responses that Facilitate Rather than Dictate Solutions

30. “The next time you get angry, make sure you count to 10 before acting," is an example of a facilitating solution.

Strengthen Commitment to Change

31. When moving from motivation to commitment it is important that individuals stay in the current phase rather than moving back and forth between the two.

Help Connect Talk to Action

32. The more specifically an offender talks about the plan of action for change, the more likely he or she is to follow through with it.

Key Points

33. Since a person is more likely to act on a solution he feels he came up with, it is important to involve the offender in planning,  use a menu of options, and to:

Exercise: Asking Good Questions

34. "Not-so good” questions may be seen as accusations that increase resistance and decrease the likelihood that the offender will talk about changes in his behavior.

Chapter Six: Navigating Tough Times: Working With Deception, Violations, and Sanctions

35. Probaton and parole officers often must play conflicting roles of representing the justice system while also being ______________ and mentor.

36. One deceptive tendency of an offender is to reinterpret information so that it fits with his basic assumptions about his own survival and worth.  

What Can Be Done About It?

37. Research suggests that the use of a harsh coercive style can prompt an offender to lie to save face and allows the offender to justify his lies to himself.

Be Clear About Sanctions

38. Professionals should make sure offenders are aware of what sanctions are likely to occur as a result of a violation, even though it won’t necessarily make compliance more likely.

Address Behavior With an “Even Keel” Attitude

39. The actions or behavior of an offender should be addressed with an “even keel” attitude or a __________ stance.

When the Offender Denies the Initial Offense

40. Although it is best that the offender takes responsibility for his past actions, admission of guilt need not always be a prerequisite of a change-focused conversation.

Chapter Seven: From Start to Finish-Putting Motivational Interviewing Into Practice

41. The three motivational targets of MI include importance, commitment, and:    

Adapting Motivational Interviewing to Different Kinds of Interviews

42. When using motivational interviewing it is recommended that the professional wait to address how the offender feels about being on supervision until after a few meetings, as this may increase anxiety.

43. Initial conversations may address the interests or significant relationships as a way to gather information and set the tone for subsequent meetings.

Motivational Interviewing and the Case-Planning Interview

44. The four basic steps to case planning include each of the following EXCEPT:      

Motivational Interviewing and Routine Meetings

45. Some of the major tasks for meetings during the middle of the supervision process include encouraging and reinforcing progress, solving problems, and preventing relapses.

46. The two documents that guide the interview process are the treatment plan and the behavioral contract.

Motivational Interviewing and the Postviolation Interview

47. Based on its track record, MI can be expected to reduce violations and increase the probability of change.

48. When using motivational interviewing to address post violations it is critical to:    

Managing Time Constraints

49. Although MI requires performing new tasks and increasing responsibilities, it will likely promote efficiency and competence.

50. Offenders who are well prepared for change require less supervision time, use fewer scarce resources, and are likely to see improvements in their lives, the lives of their families, and lives of their communities.