Group Motivational Interviewing as a Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Dual Diagnosis Patients Living with a Psychotic Disorder: Critique of the Literature

Studies indicate that 50% of individuals living with a psychotic disorder also meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for substance abuse disorder during their lifetime (Green, Drake, Brunette, & Noordsy, 2007; Thornton, Baker, Johnson, Kay-Lambkin, & Lewin, 2011). With such high rates of substance abuse among individuals living with a psychotic disorder the need for empirically based and salient psychotherapeutic interventions such a Motivational Interviewing (MI) cannot be overstated. MI is a person centered approach to psychotherapy that encourages behavior change through the resolution of ambivalence (Miller & Rollnick, 2002; Prochaska & Norcross, 2010). Dual diagnosis patients living with a psychotic present with needs that may make MI difficult to administer therefore, various MI techniques are restructured to better accommodate the multicultural needs of dually diagnosed individuals. The critique of seven studies found that modified MI techniques administered in a group format had a positive effect on reducing substance use and improving overall patient functioning for dually diagnosed patients living with a psychotic disorder. Studies indicate that 50% of individuals living with a psychotic disorder also meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for substance abuse disorder during their lifetime (Green, Drake, Brunette, & Noordsy, 2007; Thornton, Baker, Johnson, Kay-Lambkin, & Lewin, 2011). With such high rates of substance abuse among individuals living with a psychotic disorder the need for empirically based and salient psychotherapeutic interventions such a Motivational Interviewing (MI) cannot be overstated. MI is a person centered approach to psychotherapy that encourages behavior change through the resolution of ambivalence (Miller & Rollnick, 2002; Prochaska & Norcross, 2010). Dual diagnosis patients living with a psychotic present with needs that may make MI difficult to administer therefore, various MI techniques are restructured to better accommodate the multicultural needs of dually diagnosed individuals. The critique of seven studies found that modified MI techniques administered in a group format had a positive effect on reducing substance use and improving overall patient functioning for dually diagnosed patients living with a psychotic disorder