Defense Date

6-23-2015

Graduation Date

Summer 2015

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Counseling, Psychology, & Special Education

School

School of Education

Committee Chair

Tammy Hughes

Committee Member

Scott Graves

Committee Member

Gibbs Kanyongo

Committee Member

Alison Colbert

Committee Member

Bryson Bresnahan

Keywords

Acceptability, Adolescent, Alternative, Feasability, Female, Motivational Interviewing

Abstract

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach shown to elicit behavior change in adolescents engaged in risky behavior. MI is used to increase the individuals feeling of self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Female adolescents engaged in substance use, sexual activity and identified as academically disengaged were provided an MI intervention in their alternative education setting. According to the Social Cognitive Theory, MI is well suited toward supporting individual behavior change. Results showed that MI is an acceptable intervention to at-risk adolescent females. However, feasibility considerations highlighted the implementation barriers present in this alternative high school as well as those in public school settings. Due to an unacceptably high attrition rate, results on MI effectiveness were inconclusive. Future research should focus on prevention and intervention programs that can be implemented with fidelity in alternative and general school settings.

Format

PDF

Language

English

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