Enhancing Rehabilitation Participation in Patients With SCI/D Using Motivational Interviewing

NCT07364773 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: STU00219326973467
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

The purpose of this multi-site clinical trial is to see whether people with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D) demonstrate higher level of participation in rehabilitation sessions and other outcomes when their therapists are trained in a counseling style called motivational interviewing. We want to answer the following questions:

1. 1.Do inpatients with SCI/D treated by physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) who receive MI training and coaching demonstrate greater therapy participation compared to those treated by therapists who do not receive MI training and coaching?
2. 2.Do inpatients with SCI/D treated by PTs and OTs who receive MI training and coaching demonstrate greater functional improvement at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation and greater community integration at 6 months after discharge compared to those treated by therapists who do not receive MI training and coaching?
3. 3.What are the potential moderators and mediators of the effect of training and coaching on MI skills on therapy participation?
4. 4.Audio record 2 therapy sessions per week with each enrolled SCI patient participant
5. 5.Half of the therapists will attend a 16-hour training on MI skills and 2 practice therapy session
6. 6.Consent to audio recording of their therapy sessions
7. 7.Complete one brief survey near the time of their discharge and another survey 6 months later

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI); Spinal Cord Disease

Keywords

Spinal Cord Injury; Spinal Cord Disorder; Motivational Interviewing; Rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Therapy Participation Level

  A blinded assessor will use the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS) to measure therapy participation in inpatients with SCI treated by therapists trained in Motivational Interviewing (MI) compared to those treated by therapists not trained to use MI. The PRPS rating ranges from 1 (none) to 6 (excellent), with higher scores indicating higher level of participation

  From enrollment to the end of 4-week treatment

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training

  During 1 year of inpatient rehabilitation

• Functional Abilities

  At week 4

• Participation in the Community

  At 6 months post-discharge

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group: Motivational Interviewing

EXPERIMENTAL

Physical and Occupational Therapists in this group will receive 16 hours of training in Motivational Interviewing and use these techniques during sessions with enrolled patient participants.

Behavioral: Motivational Interviewing

Control Group: Standard Care

NO INTERVENTION

Therapists in this group will not participate in additional training and provide standard care to enrolled patient participants.

Interventions

Motivational Interviewing BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based counseling style that aims to foster positive health behavior change in patients through their desires and actions.

Experimental Group: Motivational Interviewing

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Inpatient therapist specializing in spinal cord injury patients for at least 3 months;
• Practicing at the designated SCI inpatient units at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Baylor Scott \& White Institute for Rehabilitation and University of Washington-Harborview Medical Center;
• Willing to audio record conversations during regularly-scheduled rehabilitation therapy sessions with patients;
• Willing and able to participate in 16 hours of MI training; and
• Willing to receive feedback on MI skills.

You may not qualify if:

• Inability to speak and understand English
• Inpatient therapist specializing in spinal cord injury patients for less than 3 months; and
• Unwilling or unable to follow the study protocol
• Adults (18+)
• Presence of a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury
• Inpatient in the spinal cord injury unit of the three study sites
• Has a physical or occupational therapist who is a participant in the study
• Inability to speak and understand English
• Cognitive deficits
• Unwilling to allow for therapy sessions to be recorded

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Shirley Ryan AbilityLab: lead
• Baylor Research Institute: collaborator
• University of Washington: collaborator

Study Sites (3)

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

RECRUITING

Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation

Dallas, Texas, 75246, United States

RECRUITING

University of Washington - Harborview Medical Center

Seattle, Washington, 98104, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (26)

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• Kramer Schmidt L, Andersen K, Nielsen AS, Moyers TB. Lessons learned from measuring fidelity with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI 4). J Subst Abuse Treat. 2019 Feb;97:59-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2018.11.004. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

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• Ozelie R, Gassaway J, Buchman E, Thimmaiah D, Heisler L, Cantoni K, Foy T, Hsieh CH, Smout RJ, Kreider SE, Whiteneck G. Relationship of occupational therapy inpatient rehabilitation interventions and patient characteristics to outcomes following spinal cord injury: the SCIRehab project. J Spinal Cord Med. 2012 Nov;35(6):527-46. doi: 10.1179/2045772312Y.0000000062.

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• Lequerica AH, Rappor LJ, Whitman R. Psychometric properties of the Rehabilitation Therapy Engagement Scale among patients with acquired brain injury. Rehabil Psychol. 2007;51:331-337.

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  PMID: 17601468 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries; Spinal Cord Diseases

Interventions

Motivational Interviewing

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Directive Counseling; Counseling; Mental Health Services; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

• Linda Ehrlich-Jones, PhD, RN

  Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Patient participants and the assessor rating participation level during therapy sessions will be blinded. Therapist participants will be aware of the arm in which they will be placed through training on motivational interviewing.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Director, Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research

Model Details: Patients in the experimental group will receive treatment from a Physical or Occupational Therapist trained in Motivational Interviewing. Those in the control group will receive standard therapy communication.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 9, 2025
• First Posted: January 23, 2026
• Study Start: November 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 20, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 20, 2027
• Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (3)