Motivating Student Change: It Is So Hard When They Have To, But

Easy When They Want To

Robert J. Chapman, PhD

La Salle University, Philadelphia

Receiving Referrals

Whether by self-referral or mandate, remember that an assessment is something done with a student and not to a student– Explore student views on why they are there– “Sometimes you have to give folks what they want

in order to get the chance to give them what they need.”

Getting Started

Students are more likely to share their stories than to tell us their business.– Discuss the student’s views on why she or he is

present…not to question them, but to ensure that you understand them

– Ask for permission to start the interview– Ask open ended questions that present the

opportunity for practitioners to listen

Recognize the True Student Expert

Students are the experts on themselves. We do not tell students what they need to know but rather make it convenient for them to tell us. Try asking:– What are the good things about use?– What are the less good things about use?

Explore the nexus of “good things/less good things” and positive and negative consequences of use

What’s the Point?

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink…but you can make it thirsty– No student enjoys the less good things about

drinking, therefore foster any ambivalence regarding change

– Query discrepancies in short term and longer term objectives

Remember to confront the behavior and not the student…hate the sin but love the sinner

Fostering Awareness…But of What?

Students know what they learn and learn what they are taught When the student is ready the teacher will appear– Help students to see normal or usual behavior

through a new set of lenses, e.g., Translate normal amounts into standard drinks Translate usual measures of total consumption, e.g.,

cups, into pints/quarts/gallons

Where Do We DirectStudent Attention?

Students are more likely to move towards what they want than away from what we don’t want for them– They are more likely to explore consuming fewer

calories or spending less money than they are in drinking fewer beers

– They are more likely to discuss adding time between drinks than consider cutting back

Appeal to Logic

You know best what you do most: Contemplating change means taking a risk, i.e., doing something new or strange– Demonstration:

Lace your fingers; notice which are on top of which Separate and re-lace with the opposite fingers on top. How does it feel? What do you want to do? Guess what

students think when we ask them to drink less?

Getting Started with Change

You have to cut a hole in the ice before you can catch any fish– Start with the basics and never assume that the

basics are inherently understood– For example, use scaling exercises

Where on a scale of from 0 to 10 would you place the likelihood of changing your use behavior?

Then…“You seem to have been giving some thought to change; why ‘X’ in stead of ‘X – 2’? What would have to happen for this to be ‘X + 2’?

Do Not Argue

Whether the pitcher hits the stone or the stone hits the pitcher, it’s going to be bad for the pitcher– No point is worth arguing if the result is a student

feeling humiliated or coming to see the counselor as a know-it-all

– An argument (with a student) to avoid risk may actually become his/her argument for continuing a course of action

Reactance theory

Wants vs. Needs

Change happens when one is able to discern between, “What I want” & “What I need”

– Although this happens naturally, i.e., developmental theory, our job is to hasten the process

– Explore the pros and cons of changing and not changing, e.g., 2 X 2 table

Remember what the Rollin’ Stones said,– You can’t always get what you want…but if you try, you just

might find, you get what you need.

The “Aha” Experience

It is so hard when I have to and so easy when I want to. Sondra Anise Barnes

You know you have succeeded when a student says,– “I know what I need to do”– Reports earlier conversations as original insight…– …and you resist the temptation to say, “Well…it’s about

time you got it…– Instead you proffer, “You know, I think you are on to

something.”

About the Author

Robert J. Chapman, PhD Coordinator, AOD Program La Salle

University, Philadelphia, PA PA Regional Coordinator for The Network:

Addressing collegiate alcohol & other drug issues

Contact information:484-802-0648 chapman.phd@gmail.com