Talk Less. Listen More: The Effect of Motivational Interviewing Training on Health Science Students’ Communication Skills

Background Effective communication is essential in healthcare, yet many occupational therapy and nursing students feel underprepared to engage in emotionally complex client interactions. Motivational Interviewing (MI), a client-centered approach to enhancing intrinsic motivation, has been shown to improve empathy, reflective listening, and autonomy support. This study explores how MI training influences communication development among health science students. Methods A qualitative design was used to examine the experiences of six students (five occupational therapy, one nursing) at an urban public university who completed a structured MI certification as part of an interprofessional education program. Following community-based telehealth sessions with clients, students participated in a virtual focus group. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Five themes emerged: development of communication strategies, challenges in MI implementation, personal interviewing styles, professional growth, and acquisition of clinical skills. Students reported increased use of open-ended questions, greater comfort with client-led dialogue, and improved emotional intelligence. Participants noted difficulty resisting directive tendencies, managing emotional boundaries, and adapting MI principles within traditional clinical expectations. Conclusion MI training was perceived to improve communication competence, self-awareness, and therapeutic presence in future clinicians. Findings suggest that integrating MI early in health sciences curricula may enhance readiness for client-centered care and foster reflective, empathetic practice across diverse settings.