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Development of Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) Fidelity Codes Assessing Motivational Interviewing with Couples

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Abstract

This study evaluated preliminary reliability and validity evidence for novel scores that extend the motivational interviewing treatment integrity (MITI) coding system to assess elements unique to motivational interviewing (MI) with couples. We recruited 20 cismale couples where at least one partner was aged 18–29; reported substance use; and was HIV-negative. Couples were randomized to a three-session MI or attention-matched education control. Four coders rated audio-recordings of initial sessions in both conditions. Novel global scores had high nearly-exact percent agreement (Decreasing Dyadic Ambivalence = 100%; Facilitating Dyadic Functioning = 94%). Consistency for novel behavior counts was good (ICCdyadic reflections = .72) and above minimum thresholds (nearly-exact agreement for Relationship Affirmations = 78%). MI sessions generated novel and established MITI codes that were significantly better than education sessions, providing preliminary evidence of validity. Findings provided initial support for the use of these novel scores in future research evaluating MI-based substance use and HIV risk reduction studies with couples.

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Data Availability

Data not publicly available. Please contact the corresponding author.

Code Availability

Descriptive statistics and reliability analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.

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Acknowledgements

Collection of these data were supported in part by a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant (R34 DA036419; PI Starks) and an award from the Hunter College Presidential Fund for Faculty Advancement. Analyses of these data were funded by a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant (R34 DA043422; PI Starks). The authors acknowledge the contributions of the Couples Health Project Team, particularly Trey Dellucci, Daniel Sauermilch, and Paula Bertone as well as Jeffrey T. Parsons, Mark Pawson, Andrew Cortopassi, Nahuel Smith, Ruben Jimenez, Scott Jones, Alex Brousset, and Jonathan Lassiter. Finally, we thank the staff and interns who contributed to the project and our participants.

Funding

Collection of these data were supported in part by a National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant (R34 DA036419; PI Starks) and an award from the Hunter College Presidential Fund for Faculty Advancement. Analyses of these data were funded by a National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant (R34 DA043422; PI Starks).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 695 Park Ave. 611 Hunter North, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Tyrel J. Starks & J. L. Stewart

  2. Doctoral Program in Health Psychology and Clinical Science, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Tyrel J. Starks, Kendell M. Doyle & Stephen C. Bosco

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences,, Center for Behavioral Health and Technology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Karen S. Ingersoll

Authors
  1. Tyrel J. Starks
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  2. Kendell M. Doyle
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  3. J. L. Stewart
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  4. Stephen C. Bosco
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  5. Karen S. Ingersoll
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Contributions

TS led the study team and was primarily responsible for development of the analytic plan, drafting text, and manuscript submission. KD and SB were involved in the development of MITI codes and coding and contributed to manuscript text; JS executed the analytic plan and contributed to manuscript text, KI consulted on the process of code development and provided feedback on manuscript drafts.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tyrel J. Starks.

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Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest declared.

Ethical Approval

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at [BLINDED] performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Consent to Participate

All participants were provided written informed consent information and this was reviewed verbally prior to the start of the study.

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Starks, T.J., Doyle, K.M., Stewart, J.L. et al. Development of Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) Fidelity Codes Assessing Motivational Interviewing with Couples. AIDS Behav 26, 13–20 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03288-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03288-8

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