Identify a MI technique used to elicit change talk from clients.

• A. Eliciting change talk through open-ended questions, reflective listening, and summarizing client statements to invite reasons and readiness for change.
• B. Providing direct advice and telling the client what to do.
• C. Using fear-based messages to prompt change.
• D. Requiring immediate action without exploration.

Answer: (A)

Motivational interviewing aims to elicit change talk by inviting the client to articulate their own reasons and readiness for change, rather than pushing them toward it. This is best done by using open-ended questions that invite reflection, by listening with empathy through reflective statements, and by summarizing the client's messages to highlight their values, concerns, and motivations. These techniques help clients voice their own arguments for change, which is more likely to lead to commitment and action.

Direct advice tends to shift responsibility away from the client and can provoke resistance. Fear-based messages rely on emotion to compel change, which often backfires or shuts down honest exploration. Requiring immediate action without exploration undermines the collaborative, autonomous stance that MI promotes.