Case Study of an Asynchronous Motivational Interviewing Add-on to a Community Mental Health Course in a Social Work Curriculum

This case study explores the implementation and outcomes of an asynchronous Motivational Interviewing (MI) training program integrated into a Master of Social Work (MSW) course on community mental health. MSW (n=64) students completed a five-module intervention known as the MI Companion, designed to strengthen reflective listening, open-ended questioning, and support for client autonomy through deliberate practice. Students participated in pre- and post-intervention mock interviews with standardized clients, which were coded using artificial intelligence (AI) trained with the MITI 4.2.1 coding system. Findings from this case study demonstrate significant improvements in MI skills, including an increase in open questions and a reduction in non-adherent behaviors. This case study contributes to the evidence base supporting asynchronous training tools as a flexible, low-burden method for enhancing practice readiness in social work education

Asynchronous communication · Autonomy · Curriculum · Interview · Mental health · Motivational interviewing · Counseling Practices and Supervision · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work