Do brief motivational interventions increase motivation for change in drinking among college students? A two-step meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Although BMIs provide motivational content and normative feedback and are assumed to motivate behavior change, the results do not wholly support the hypothesis that BMIs improve motivation for change. Changing motivation is difficult to assess during and following interventions, but it is still a theoretically important clinical endpoint. Further, the evidence cautiously suggests that changing motivation may be achievable, especially if motivation-targeted content components are provided.